National Poetry Day July 22, 2011

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 …

Events in Christchurch

Find out about Events on the Booksellers website including:

• Lyttelton An Act of Art: Upon the Upland Road
  When: Friday, 22 Jul 2011
  Where: Harbour Light site, London Street, Lyttelton (map)
  Description: Check out a symbolic form of part of James K Baxter’s “High Country Weather”, located on the Harbour Light site, London Street, Lyttelton. Installation: Friday, 22 July. In association with Gap Filler. Artist: Trent Hiles
• Phoenix Poetry – Rising from the rubble. Patrick Evans, James Norcliffe, Tusitata Avia and students from the Hagley Writers’ Institute and the School For Young Writers.
  When: Fri, 22 July, 12:00 – 13:30
  Where: Canterbury University Bookshop (map)
  Description:  Canterbury University Bookshop invites you to come and enjoy some literary life in our recovering city. Patrick Evans will chair a session with poets James Norcliffe, Tusitata Avia and students from the Hagley Writers’ Institute and the School For Young Writers. Singer /Songwriter Adam McGrath of The Eastern will end proceedings. Bring your lunch and a poem to add to our Poetry Wall. We will provide free tea and coffee

Poetry at Christchurch City Libraries

We love poetry all year round:

• Poetry resources at Christchurch City Libraries
• Poetry on the blog which includes some amazing poems given to us as Words for Christchurch.
• Poetry finalists in the New Zealand Post Book Awards 2011:
  The Mirror of Simple Annihilated Souls by Kate Camp, Victoria University Press
  Mauri Ola: Contemporary Polynesian Poems in English – Whetu Moana II by Albert Wendt, Reina Whaitiri and Robert Sullivan, Auckland University Press
  The Radio Room by Cilla McQueen, Otago University Press
  NZSA Jessie Mackay Best First Book of Poetry Award winner: Dear Sweet Harry by Lynn Jenner, Auckland University Press
• General non-fiction finalists in the New Zealand Post Book Awards 2011:
  99 Ways into New Zealand Poetry by Paula Green and Harry Ricketts, Vintage, Random House NZ

Romance of going to the movies redux?

The passionate fans queuing to see the final Harry Potter movie show that the romance of cinema going is not dead. Even if the glamour has gone out of many cinema buildings – Christchurch trashed its cinema building heritage long before any earthquake – it’s nice to see people enjoying the event of a night out at the cinema.

That is what it used to be – the stylish buildings made people dress up a bit and go out for an evening. Now, video rental stores, home cinemas  and downloading have made movie going as an event a bit of a novelty.

Lucky Wellingtonians who have at least two beautifully restored cinema buildings to attend (like this one). Wouldn’t it be great if the city rebuild included not a multiple, but a gracious multipurpose building that could host film festivals and grand occasions like premieres.

Richard’s post about the Ghosts of cinema past drew a host of reminiscences.