Poetic licence drives poetry day at The University of Auckland
Poetry will take to the streets, trees, galleries, libraries, escalators, digital screens and airwaves on and around
Montana Poetry Day (Friday, 21 July).
"It's a chance to bring poetry into public spaces as the semester begins and campus is seething with deployable energy,"
says Dr Michele Leggott, acclaimed poet, Associate Professor in the Department of English and coordinator of the NZ
Electronic Poetry Centre (nzepc) at The University of Auckland. "Poetry day is for everyone who wants to see or hear
poems coming off the page all over the city."
Montana Poetry Day events at and around The University of Auckland include:
POETRY SLAM AT POETRY LIVE: Go head to head with other poets in a poetry tournament! Bring your best performance poems,
maximum three minutes per poem, costume optional. Best poet on the night wins - judged by audience applause,
so bring all your friends!! Slammistress - Renee. Poetic interludes
by Michael Onslow-Osborne. Entry by koha (8pm, Tuesday, 18 July; upstairs lounge at Grand Central, 126 Ponsonby Rd).
Contact: Renee Liang docrnz@gmail.com
AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY PRESS: Auckland University Press, in conjunction with the New Zealand Book Council, will celebrate
Montana Poetry Day a day early with a gala event in Auckland to launch Classic New Zealand Poets in Performance. Editors
Jack Ross and Jan Kemp have selected and presented on two CDs material from the Waiata Recordings Archive, collected in
1974, and the Aotearoa New Zealand Poetry Sound Archive, completed in 2004. Classic New Zealand poets attending include
C K Stead, Riemke Ensing, Jack Ross and Anne Kennedy (her book, The Time of the Giants, is a finalist in this year's
Poetry category of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards). Admission $5 NZ Book Council members, $6 unwaged, $8 general
public (6:30pm, Thursday, 20 July; Jubilee Building, 545 Parnell Road). Contact Christine O'Brien
c.obrien@auckland.ac.nz
BLUFFING AUCKLAND 06: In April this year, 22 poets travelled from all over the country to Bluff and Rakiura (Stewart
Island) for four days of readings, discussion, launches and digital outreach. The New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre
(nzepc) brings BLUFF 06 back home for a celebration reading and chocolate cake at Auckland Central City Library.
nzepc readers: Cilla McQueen, Anne Kennedy and Auckland Bluffers Hilary Chung Murray Edmond, Brian Flaherty, Paula
Green, Alison Hunt, Michele Leggott, Bronwyn Lloyd, Selina Tusitala Marsh, Jack Ross, Helen Sword, Lisa Williams
(6.00-8.00pm, Friday, 21 July; 44-46 Lorne St, Auckland CBD).
Prior to the evening reading, University of Auckland writing students will perform and record escalator readings for the
City Library's big-screen anthology.
GUS FISHER GALLERY: Anne Kennedy and Richard von Sturmer will read their poetry at the gallery. Auckland University
Press will have copies of The Time of the Giants available for signing (12pm, 21 July; Gus Fisher Gallery, 74 Shortland
Street).
BANG THE DRUM! THE bFM BREAKFAST POETRY COMPETITION:
Rules: To reference a 'fave' band or music artist.
Open to All: Entries close Friday 14 July, with winners announced by Wallace during the show 9.30am on Montana Poetry
Day. Winners read their poetry on air.
1st prize: Bottle of Moet & Chandon, The Bob Dylan Scrapbook boxed set and a Nom*D Bitch Sessions Knife t-shirt; 2nd prize: Bob Marley boxed set
and CD plus Essential New Zealand Poems; 3rd prize: Please Kill Me – An Oral History of Punk & Motel Life by Willy Vlautin. Entries to breakfast@95bfm.com
Contact: wallace@95BFM.com
POETIC POSTSCRIPT-- POETRY ON THE PAVEMENT AND GUERILLA POETRY: Join a unit of guerilla poets as they chalk their poems
on pavements and decorate trees at various sites around the city, and set up instant poetry readings for unsuspecting
passers-by. Chalk will be provided, just bring a short poem (Saturday 22 July from 10.00am; various Auckland sites. If
wet this event will be postponed to Sunday 23 July). Contact: Renee Liang docrnz@gmail.com (please register your
interest and provide a mobile number) or Christian Jensen xianhoyskolt@gmail.com
ENDS
www.montanapoetryday.co.nz