Youthful Poets Can Liberate Their Language And Win

27 April 2007

Media Release

YOUTHFUL POETS CAN LIBERATE THEIR LANGUAGE AND WIN

One of ten finalists in this year’s New Zealand Post National Schools Poetry Competition will have their poem immortalised in song.

This is the first time the competition is offering the prize for a shortlisted poem to be recorded, performed, distributed to radio stations and made available for free download on iTunes and Digirama.

The overall competition winner will take away a $500 cash prize, a $500 grant to the winner’s school library and attendance to a one day poetry Masterclass with some of New Zealand’s top poets.

Alongside this, a premier New Zealand musician will select a poem to be turned into a song.

However, all runners up will have their expenses paid to attend a poetry Masterclass and receive $100 cash, and all ten finalists will receive a package of book tokens and literary subscriptions.

Themed ‘Liberate your Words,’ this year’s competition will be judged by award-winning Wellington poet Andrew Johnston. The competition is open to all Year 12 and 13 students attending New Zealand secondary schools.

This is the first year New Zealand Post has supported the competition which is run by Victoria University’s International Institute of Modern Letters.

New Zealand Post chief executive John Allen says poetry is a great way for young people to express themselves.

“We hope these awards encourage young people to think about using poetry as a public way of expressing what is of interest to them.”

Institute of Modern Letters director Bill Manhire agrees.

“Poetry doesn’t live in an ivory tower and people shouldn’t be scared of it. The fact one of the winning poems will be interpreted in song I hope will show students that the best poems live on the tongue and in the heart, as well as on the page.”

Entries close on May 28. Entry forms can be downloaded from www.nzpost.co.nz/poetryawards or requested by calling by calling 0800501501.

Ends

The New Zealand Post National Schools Poetry Award is supported by the New Zealand Book Council, Booksellers New Zealand, the New Zealand Society of Authors, and Sport and Landfall.

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