National poetry day to reflect social and environmental issues

Social issues, the plight of refugees and climate change will be the main themes at some of the 150 events held on this year’s National Poetry Day.

A record number of communities will be holding events at this year’s celebration on Friday August 23, bringing with them poetry which will creatively reflect the turbulent social climate in New Zealand and abroad.

The Christchurch Mosque Attack will make this year’s celebration especially poignant and meaningful, said New Zealand Book Awards Trust Chair Nicola Legat.

“When you have really difficult moments like the mosque shooting poetry seems to be the language that communities reach for, for a sense of meaning and a sense of comfort.”

Now in its 21^st year, the event has seen growing popularity as more people seek to engage with poetry as a medium to tell their stories and express difficult issues.

“It just gets bigger and bigger every year I think as people become more confident and realise that it’s something that attracts good, strong audiences,” said Legat.

This year’s event will feature many emerging poets – representatives of the wave of young New Zealanders who are ardently embracing the medium.

“There is a huge groundswell of really exciting young poets like Hera Lindsay Bird, Tayi Tibble, Chris Tse and Gregory Kahn, really interesting thoughtful young poets who are all doing something different,” said Legat.

Auckland-based poet and creative writing lecturer, Siobhan Harvey said the relationship between youth and poetry is growing as it provides an accessible and safe outlet for difficult emotions.

“It allows young people to voice their experience and perhaps do so in a way that they might otherwise feel uncomfortable about.”

A published poet for over 30 years, Harvey will be reading her poetry at an Auckland event on Friday along with poetry veterans Albert Wendt and Bob Orr.

Over 25 events will be held across Auckland on Friday; a mixture or workshops, spoken word and book readings.

Event funder Phantom Billstickers has been erecting large poems in cities throughout the country to celebrate the works of poets in the lead up to the event.