National Poetry Day Friday 30 July

National Poetry Day is on its way:

New Zealand’s national day of poetry … is a celebration of this country’s unique and vibrant poetic voice – whether it is odes, myths and legends, serious social commentary or just plain good fun …

Competitions

• Christchurch City Libraries blog poetry competition
  Send us your poems (under 300 words) to us at libwebteam@ccc.govt.nz and we will bedeck and bedazzle the blog with your masterpieces on National Poetry Day. You also get a chance to win The Adventures of Vela by Albert Wendt or some cool t-shirts .
• Time out competition
  To celebrate National Poetry Day 2010, Time Out Bookstore, in conjunction with the Sunday Star-Times, is holding a nationwide poetry competition. Submissions will be accepted by email only to competition@timeout.co.nz, subject line ‘poetry’, and close 5pm, Thursday 15 July.
• Page and Blackmore Booksellers (Nelson) competition
  Deadline 23 July.

Events in Christchurch

Author and poet Helen Lowe and the Women on Air radio show have made July a month of poetry, and there will be poems and poets aplenty to enjoy.

Find out about Events on the Booksellers website including:

• Poems for Lunch – A Menu of Astonishing Variety
  12.30 – 1.30 pm, Friday 30th July 2010.
  University Bookshop on Campus, Canterbury University. On the day, come and join us for a feast of poetry, including the launch of a new poetry book, Guarding the Cellar Door by Linda Connell (Steele Roberts) and performances by Jeffrey Paparoa Holman, Roger Hickin, Tusiata Avia, Micah Timona-Ferris and writers from the School for Young Writers. Tea and coffee provided – bring your sandwiches and join us in celebrating a very special National Poetry Day
• Poetry for Pudding
  7pm – 8.30 pm, Friday 30th July 2010
  Borders Bookshop Rotherham Street Riccarton. You are invited to a celebratory evening of victuals and poetry to warm your “vitals”. Come to eat, read and/or listen, but mostly come to enjoy. Entry is free. Poets and listeners of all stages and ages welcome! Sponsored by Airing Cupboard Women Poets. For acceptance and further information, email mck-h@hotmail.com

Poetry at Christchurch City Libraries

We love poetry all year round:

• Poetry resources at Christchurch City Libraries
• Poetry on the blog
• Poetry finalists in the New Zealand Post Book Awards 2010:
  Just This by Brian Turner, Victoria University Press
  The Lustre Jug by Bernadette Hall, Victoria University Press
  The Tram Conductor’s Blue Cap by Michael Harlow, Auckland University Press
  NZSA Jessie Mackay Best First Book of Poetry Award winner: Fast talking PI Selina Tusitala March, Auckland University Press