Auckland Poetry.com

Hi everyone,

It’s already more than halfway through the month, and I apologise for my tardiness, especially as it means some of you may have missed events you might have wanted to go to. Let’s just say some Chinese ghosts got in the way! Again, my humblest apologies. There will be no Poetry List in November as I will be backpacking in China(leaving in two days) , but I have included November things in this List.

As you can see, these are particularly rich months, not only because of NZ book month but because many talented individuals are putting their words on the line to help those in need. A particularly hard choice awaits you this coming Thursday as not one, not two but three unmissable poetry events clamour for your attention…..drool….I will have to miss out sadly, but will be enjoying Kiwi Improvisation in Beijing that night (yes, really!).

Keep on sending me your events and I’ll do my best to update the Facebook version of this List while on the road. And if you want to wish me a safe journey, see you at Poetry Live on this coming Tuesday night!!

Renee

The Poetry List is a monthly mailout of all things poetry in Auckland. Comments and listings (poetry-related only) are welcome. If your event occurs before the next Poetry List is due, generally the first week of each month, tell me anyway and I’ll put it on the website. As always, if I emailed you in error, my sincerest apologies, ask me and I’ll unsubscribe you.

If you want to get on the separate Poetry Live email list to get weekly emails on what’s happening at Poetry Live, contact me or any of the other three MCs.

The List:

Atārangi Whenua Exhibition: Penny Howard & Doug Poole
Saturday 10 October–Wednesday 28 October, Whangarei
Arts Promotion Trust (Northland), The Old Library Building, 7 Rust Ave

Wednesday 11th November – Thursday 26th November, Auckland
Art Station – Ponsonby Road, Auckland
Auckland Opening Night: Tuesday 10th 5.30 pm -7.30 pm
Official welcome 6.00 pm sharp

“Atārangi Whenua” is the collaboration of a painter and poet creating visual works of art and poetry, exploring cultural identity. Both artists focus on their respective culture, through the eyes of children who were lost to their Marae and Samoan village, due to the diasporas of Maori and Samoan during the 20th Century, to 21st Century experiences. It comprises a series of 10 paintings with accompanying limited edition poetry & artwork prints, to be exhibited in public galleries in Auckland and Whangarei. More info, T: 09 430 6432; F: 09 430 7475; E: info@apt.org.nz; W: www.apt.org.nzAtārangi

Tuesday 20 October – Poetry Live
Comedian Philip Patston teams up with Tony Lewis on harmonica and Apple Garageband on bass to perform his poetry from the last couple of decades. It’s an eclectic mix of Dylan-esque rap and Linkin-esque rhapsody, with (unexpectedly) serious and (expectedly) not-so-serious overtones.
Open Mic – Koha entry – MC Renee

21st Oct: Does Poetry Matter? 6.30 pm. Lecture Theatre OGGB3, Owen G. Glenn Building, 12 Grafton Road

Faculty of Arts seminar by Ian Wedde, University of Auckland Creative New Zealand Writer-in-Residence at the Michael King Centre.

In 2008 the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish gave his last reading in a Beirut football stadium to an audience estimated at 25,000; in salon or academic cultures, poetry book sales barely make it into the 100’s; in Bangladesh, no politician can sustain credibility without a poet to speak for them. As a process, ‘poetry’ may be one of the most archaic and self-sustaining vehicles in which language is able to journey out from the almost inaccessible places of basic cognition. As a practice, it presents a deep history whose pressures continue to extrude new language formations. And as a medium for performance, it seems capable of endless self-reinvention; or incapable of shutting up. ‘Does poetry matter?’ is a downbeat, recessionist question that may seem to beg one of two banal answers: a pragmatic no or a defensive yes. But are there more complex, interesting, and entertaining responses?

Thursday 22 October, The Voyagers Book Tour Of New Zealand, Auckland
5:30 pm, Auckland City Library
Book tour organised by Interactive Publications, the publishers of Voyagers: Science Fiction Poetry from New Zealand, co-edited by Mark Pirie & Tim Jones.

Thursday 22nd October: Love, Loss and the Sea – Tsunami Relief Fundraiser
7 pm start. Gold Coin Koha entry. Fale Pasifika, University of Auckland, Wynyard Street

MC: Oscar Kightley
Curtain raiser the South Auckland Poets Collective
Readings from Albert Wendt, Selina Tusitala Marsh, Serie Barford, Karlo Mila, Tracey Tawhiao, Mua Strickson-Pua, Doug Poole, Courtney Meredith & Helen Tionisio.

Raffle for signed books (thank you, Huia Publishers) and a good old fashioned cake stall… Bring your pingas for the cake, coffee and raffle… more info from: Karlo Mila T: 027 477 2649; E: karlodavid@xtra.co.nz

Thursday 22nd October, Storyteller Project – Fundraising Jam Night – 7pm til late
Roasted Addiqtion Cafe, New North Road, Kingsland, Auckland
$5 non-performers, $2 performers (poets or musicians welcome, first in first served). There will also be a raffle, and an assortment of goods and baking for sale, all to support the cause, so bring your spare pingers.

Saturday 24 October, The Voyagers Book Tour Of New Zealand, Auckland.
6:30pm Depot Arts Gallery, Devonport
Book tour organised by Interactive Publications, the publishers of Voyagers: Science Fiction Poetry from New Zealand, co-edited by Mark Pirie & Tim Jones.

Friday 24 October, Global Eyes Feet Voice – Live Event
8 pm, Thirsty Dog, 469 K’Rd. $5 at the door. Exhibition on until 22nd Nov at Te Karanga, K’Rd (above Illicit Clothing – all artworks for sale.)
A unique collaborative show fusing spoken word with music. A broad range of talented musicians embrace the dynamic of spoken word in reflection of the Global Eyes Feet Voice Project.
Poets Miriam, Daniel, Christian and Genevieve perform with pianist Jonathan Besser and musicians Paul Williams, Craig Humphries and Otis Mace as well as Karen Hunter and grunge band Snakes and Daggers.

Copies of the Global Eyes Feet Voice books are available from the exhibition and at the performance evening for $30.

Tuesday 27th October – Poetry Live
8 pm Thirsty Dog, K’Rd, koha
Guest Poet Dave Merritt
Open mic; MC Murray

Thursday 29th October – Rhythm and Verse – an evening of words and music
Top Floor of Lopdell House
at 7.30pm
Entry only $10 or $5 [Friends of Lopdell House Gallery]
Musicians – Dave Parker and the Nukes, a brilliant ukulele group who wowed audiences at the Titirangi Music Festival earlier this year.
Guest poets – Charis Boos, Jenny Clay, Kiri Piahana-Wong and Mihera Paterson,
four talented women poets.

Tuesday 3rd November – Poetry Live
8 pm Thirsty Dog, K’Rd, koha
Guest Poet Paula Green
Open mic; MC Christian

Thursday 5th November: LATE 03: Voyage of the Ancestors
$15, Auckland Museum. 6.30pm-11pm
Featuring: SJD / Sam Hunt / David Kilgour / Jock Philips / Geoffrey Irwin / Matahi Brightwell
Singer-guitarist David Kilgour of influential rock group The Clean and New Zealand’s best-loved poet Sam Hunt perform together at a very different LATE you won’t want to miss. LATE 03: Voyage of the Ancestors explores human’s remarkable migration to New Zealand, so it’s apt the event welcomes a unique opportunity to explore the Museum to discover SJD and top musicians in the iconic galleries.
Following on from their recent sold-out Auckland show, David and Sam bring their exceptional performance to the Grand Foyer. Upstairs, one of New Zealand’s most popular indie-bands, SJD, take to the Treasures and Tales gallery. Unconventional violinist Elena will unleash her blend of Maori and European musical traditions on the Auckland 1866 gallery, followed by world-renowned jazz oboist Russell Walder in Oceans.

The panel discussion in the Maori Court, explores the human journey to New Zealand, one of the most remarkable migrations ever. The panel features Auckland University Professor of Archaeology Geoffrey Irwin, whose research focuses on the colonisation of the Pacific; Matahi Brightwell, who has been instrumental in the revival of traditional methods in navigating the Pacific; and Jock Phillips, General Editor of Te Ara: The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand.
Tickets: Phone 09 306 7048 or online at www.lateatthemuseum.com

Friday 6th November (closing date) – Amnesty International/PEN Courage Day poetry competition
There is no theme, all topics are welcomed. Prizes (vouchers/books) for 1st and second places. The winners will be judged by poets Tim Heath and Helen Tionisaio.
Entry fee $5 for one or more poems.
Entries and fee should be posted to the Amnesty office, PO Box 5300, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141 Enquiries to Alex Bayfield (campaigns.intern@amnesty.org.nz)

Tuesday 10th November – Poetry Live – 8 pm Thirsty Dog, K’Rd, koha
Guest Poet Stephanie Johnson
Open mic; MC Miriam

Sunday 15th November – Courage Day.
From noon, Mt Albert Community Hall, 773 New North Road, Mount Albert
Door sales $20, advance bookings $18, $15 students.

The Auckland Branch of the NZ Society of Authors (PEN NZ) Inc welcomes you to an afternoon of Poetry, Prose, Music and Politics. On November 15th, all around the world, PEN Groups remember writers who have been murdered or imprisoned for telling their stories. In NZ this day is called Courage Day, after James and Sarah Courage, who had their books banned and burned.

We encourage you to take up your pen and write a letter to help bring about the release of an imprisoned writer. Be creative – write a Poem and bring it along. We’ll put it on the walls. It may even win you a lucky draw prize, or be read out by a professional actor.
1pm – Poetry Open Mike with Sabrina Muck.
2pm –Main programme – Poetry, Prose, Music and Politics. MC – Te Radar. Emerging writers alongside established names. Amnesty Poetry Competition winner will be announced.

Tickets in advance $18 from The Women’s Bookshop in Ponsonby, telephone 376 4399. Door sales at the venue $20, Students $15.
http://www.authors.org.nz/wawcs0138552/1n-nz-pen-and-freedom-page.html

Tuesday 17th November – Poetry Live
8 pm Thirsty Dog, K’Rd, koha
Guest Poets The Faction
Open mic; MC Murray

Tuesday 24th November – Poetry Live
8 pm Thirsty Dog, K’Rd, koha
Guest Poets Christian Jensen and Murray Lee (a great double bill!)
Guest Musician Fiona McEwen
Open mic; MC Renee

Ghosts Project – the Literatti
The Literatti have a new project! Nine Inch Nails released their instrumental album Ghosts I onto the creative commons last year, complete with a series of images. The Literatti are writing a show to this album and series of images and invite expressions of interest from performance poets who want to be involved. The show will be a homage to the ghosts of the modern age. Contributing performers will write to both the piece of music selected and this theme. All else about the show will be developed in collaboration with the contributing performers who come on board with the project, much like the original Ghosts project. There are limited places to be filled, so interested parties will need to get in quick. We invite contributing performers to make expressions of interest in writing to theliteratti@gmail.com. Expressions of interest should include a brief bio and a sample of your best poetry as well as links to any footage or audio that will help us to get a picture of what you do. Visit http://theliteratti.blogspot.com for further information. Workshopping would begin late October/early November. So again, get in quick.

INMY project with Screwed on Creative
For poets who wish to provide text to be used by artists in a new project, follow the link below.
http://www.thebigidea.co.nz/connect/events/2009/sep/61022-screwed-creative-publishing-opportunity
The Poetry List reminds you to clarify your copyright in any collaboration (not just this project) as this has been the subject of some discussion on the interweb ;)

Debate submissions
AUT’s glossy, full colour student magazine Debate are launching a new weekly creative writing page. There will be four issues before the end of 2009 and it will run again in 2010. Please send short fiction, prose, poetry, novel excerpts and anything inbetween to Michael Botur at flukeman@rocketmail.com . The word limit is 1800 words. Your submission should be accompanied by a short biography of the author, up to forty words.
Debate has a readership of 10,000 so this is a good opportunity to be exposed to a wide audience. Submissions must be received by Wednesday morning each week.
Your work will be proof-read but not edited

Best New Zealand Poems 2009
Publishers and poets who wish poems they have published in 2009 to be considered for the next edition of Best New Zealand Poems are reminded that these need to be sent to the IIML for forwarding to this year’s hard-working editor, Robyn Marsack. Publishers are invited to send copies of books and magazines to BNZP 2009, International Institute of Modern Letters, Victoria University, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140. Poems published in international journals are also eligible, and poets who think their work may not be submitted by a publisher may send published poems (not manuscripts) to the same address. The deadline for submissions is 21 December 2009. For more information email modernletters@vuw.ac.nz

Guerrilla Poetry
Join our unit of guerrilla poets! Keep your eye on the website to find out when the next Action is, join our Facebook group (Guerilla Poetry – NZ Chalksters), or email docrnz@gmail.comto get on the sneak attack email list.

Dirty Wordz with Shane Hollands : Tune in quick – shows will only run until the end of October, sadly!
Finally a show devoted to live poetry!! Join wordzter Shane on Tuesdays 3pm-5pm, 88.3 FM (Fleet) if you are in CBD reception range, or live stream on http://www.fleetfm.com.
Hosts are Shane ‘Beat Hobo’ Hollandz, Penny ‘Dirty Girl’ Ashton & Genevieve McClean.
Featuring spoken word and word music.
Interviews with hot poets and musicians who work with spoken word.

The Poetry List, © Renee Liang 2009, docrnz@gmail.com
Please feel free to pass on this list, but an acknowledgement of source is appreciated.