Hastings District Libraries Poetry Competition

We’ve had it all go here at the Libraries! Music Month is over and we rolled straight into celebrating World Environment Day and Matariki. We’ve been sculpting, stargazing and harvesting.

Next it’s time to celebrate the Montana Book awards and as you know Poetry Day. You will have seen the details of the Hastings District Libraries Poetry Competition and yes, the theme this year is sustainability. Something we should all be familiar with aye? Especially as we can't turn around without hearing about it.

How can you write a poem about sustainability? Well the only limit is your imagination! Any interpretation of this theme is acceptable and here is a list of but a few topics:

Food sources, fuel, waste management, water, footprint, trees, cycling, power, ocean, keep it green, keep it natural, chemicals, environment, earth, climate change, recycling, rubbish, trash or treasure, life changes.

Here’s an old favourite from my childhood that I bet some of you remember well:

Nobody loves me anymore
I’m going down the garden to eat worms,
Long thin slimy ones
And big fat furry ones.
Long thin slimy ones go down easily,
Big fat furry ones don’t.

The big fat furry ones stick to your teeth,
And the juice goes slurp down your throat!

Let those literary juices flow!
Lucy Lit

Poetry Competition

Hastings District Libraries are again holding a Poetry Competition to celebrate Montana Poetry Day.

The Theme this year is Sustainability. Any interpretation of this theme is acceptable.

There is a 40 line limit per poem.

Adult Category - 19 years and over - Judged by Jo Morris
Youth Category - 13 years and over - Judged by Rachel Murphy

1st Prize - $50.00 book voucher for each category, 2nd and 3rd prizes will also be awarded in each category.

Entries must be in at the libraries by Monday 30 June 2008. Click here for entry form>> (Pdf 275Kb)

The winners will be announced on Montana Poetry Day Friday 18 July at the prize giving event at Hastings Library 6.00pm to 7:30pm. Montana Poetry Day >>

Hone Tuwhare

We are saddened to note the death yesterday of acclaimed New Zealand poet Hone Tuwhare.

Hone was born in October 1922 in Kaikohe, of Nga Puhi descent. He started writing poetry in 1939 and became a prolific poet, but also wrote plays and short fiction. In 1998 he won the Montana Book Award for poetry for Shapeshifter, then won again in 2002 for Piggy Back Moon. 1999 Hone was named the second Te Mata Poet Laureate. He was awarded the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement. Hone received honorary doctorates from Auckland and Otago Universities. Read more at his website: http://www.honetuwhare.co.nz/

Works by Hone Tuwhare held in our libraries:

No ordinary sun, Something nothing, Mihi : collected poems, Short back and sideways, Shapeshifter, Piggy-back moon, Oooooo...

Works about Hone Tuwhare held in our libraries include:

Hone Tuwhare: a biography by Janet Hunt 1998

Classic New Zealand poets in performance (includes 2 cds)

Other Resources:

Create Readers - National Library of NZ - Hone Tuwhare

NZ Book Council - Hone Tuwhare

Arts Foundation of New Zealand

Te Mata Estate - Poet Laureate

Poetry Reading at Hastings Central Library

To celebrate Montana Poetry Day, a poetry reading by local poets Jenny Dobson and Angus Macdonald was held at lunchtime on Fri 27 July in Hastings Library.

The winners of Hastings Library Poetry Competition were also announced at this event. Congratualtions to the winners:

1st prize: Anne McCormick for Moments

2nd prize: Ngaire Bryant for Winter Weekend at Waimarama

3rd prize: Dave Sharp for Winter