Celebrating poetry… Waimakariri Libraries’ learning connections co-ordinator and poet Jason Clements, who writes under the name Doc Drumheller, will host National Poetry Day events in Rangiora on Friday, August 28. PHOTO: SHELLEY TOPP

 

Waimakariri Libraries are planning a busy day of events to celebrate this year's National Poetry Day, on Friday August 28.

The events will be led by the libraries’ learning connections co-ordinator and poet Jason Clements, who writes under the name Doc Drumheller. The day will include the launch of Fuego, the World Congress of Poets Literary Journal, Volume 4.

“The journal features established, and emerging writers from New Zealand, poems by primary and high school students across the Waimakariri district, poetry from Kosovo, Afghanistan, and a special feature of haiku by Japan’s leading practitioners of the art form, alongside leading poets from New Zealand and from around the world,"Jason said.

The launch will be hosted by Jason and held in the Rangiora Town Hall, Small Theatre (Cinema 3), starting at 5.30pm. Bookings are required for this event and can be done via Humanitix at: https://events.humanitix.com/fuego-volume-4-launch.

Jason will also host international launches for this journal at special events in Switzerland, Kosovo and Japan during September and October this year.

“I am most proud to be presenting the work by our young writers at the launch in Rangiora and the international launches of Fuego in Kosovo, and Japan. These festivals and conferences help enable me to promote the work of our local young writers, and writers from New Zealand, and provide more opportunities for their work to appear alongside leading poets from around the world," Jason said.

Other events planned for National Poetry Day in Rangiora include the announcement of the Libraries’ Poetry competition winners.

``We are receiving some excellent entries for the competition, in all three libraries, and would love to see more entries before the deadline, on August 23," Jason said. Entry is free, open to all ages and can be submitted at any of Waimakariri’s three libraries in Oxford, Rangiora or Kaiapoi.

Poems can also be submitted by email at: learningconnections@wmk.govt.nz.

There will also be a Poetry Reading Group hour on National Poetry Day. ``This is an informal opportunity for people in our community to enjoy some New Zealand poetry read aloud and kōrero /talk with fellow poetry–lovers over a cuppa and a biscuit, at Rangiora Library on Friday August 28 from 2pm to 3pm,” Jason said. ``Participants are welcome to bring their own poem, or their favourite New Zealand poem to share with the group."