Local wordsmiths converge in Northland for this year’s National Poetry Day

Whangarei poet Piet Nieuwland is involved in two Northland events during National Poetry Day. Photo / John Stone

Northland wordsmiths will soon have much to celebrate with National Poetry Day events popping up around the region.

This year, in the days leading up to National Poetry Day on August 25, poetry will appear in churches, bookshops, libraries and on the streets, and there will be poetry through music, open mic, book launches, and even poetry walks.

In Northland, the launch of Fast Fibres Poetry 10, Northland’s poetry anthology, will see poets and audiences converge for readings and discussion at OneOneSix Whangārei on August 17.

The anthology, in its tenth year, includes new poetry from some of the region’s best poets including Piet Nieuwland, Arthur Fairley, Olivia Macassey, June Pitman, Kathy Arlidge and John Geraets.

There is also the Let’s Talk Poetry community event at Whangārei District Library’s May Bain room on August 25, where local poets can share, read, or perform their favourite poems.

Whangārei wordsmith Piet Nieuwland, who is involved in both events and is co-editor of the anthology, said the readings would be “pretty relaxed”.

“Having poems published in an anthology is a step above reading them to yourself and your friends. It’s a bit more fun.

“It’s always exciting because there are always poets I haven’t met before or only know from their writing.

“This year there’s a wide range of people from experienced poets to others who we haven’t seen before.

“You see a poem written on the page but if you hear the poet reading it, it takes on a different kind of life.”

Nieuwland’s poems and flash fiction have appeared in numerous print and online journals published in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Canada, India and Germany.

He has two poems in this year’s Fast Fibres anthology; This is an Exhibition which refers to part of an exhibition at the Shutter Room in Whangārei not long ago, and At this Distance, about “living in the countryside; the rain, food that we grow, the soil and environment”.

Poetry days were important, he said, because they were a way of connecting with each other.

“Poetry has been a means of human expression from way back as long as humans could communicate.

“It’s become increasingly popular since the internet exploded.

“It used to be more elite, but now a lot more people are involved and are finding it healing...enabling themselves to express their feelings in a safe, open way.

“People write because they feel their views are important and they want to express what they’re feeling.

“There are always others around who will feel very similar. It’s a community-building exchange.”

There will also be competitions; the Kohukohu Library Poetry Prize will be judged by renowned poet Bob Orr, and a competition for tamariki with five $50 prizes up for grabs for the best poem on creepy crawlies.

Creative Northland general manager Olivia Garelja said Northland had “a large pool of poets” along with creative writers of all ages.

“Poetry is a creative vein that runs through us all,” she said.

“Poetry day is a day to celebrate the various voices and words that come out to play and resonate in bringing us all together.”

Poet and New Zealand Book Awards Trust spokesman Richard Pamatatau said: “It’s truly delightful to witness the surge of energy and vitality returning to this day post-pandemic, through the multitude of events being organised.”

Poetry Day in Northland

• Fast Fibres Poetry 10: New poetry from Piet Nieuwland, Arthur Fairley, Olivia Macassey, June Pitman, Kathy Arlidge, and John Geraets. Free. OneOneSix, Whangārei, August 17, 5-7.30pm.
• Let’s Talk Poetry community event: Whangārei District Library, August 25, 4-6pm. Free. For more information and to RSVP email Kiaora@creativenorthland.com
• The Kohukohu Library Poetry Prize: Judged by renowned poet Bob Orr. All poems must contain the word ‘light’. Submissions by August 20. Submission details at Facebook: Kohukohu Library Poetry Prize 2023.
• Poetry Competition for tamariki: Submissions by August 20. Email kohukohulibrary@gmail.com for submission details.

Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering roading, health, business and animal welfare issues.