Region great influence on poetry

Award-winning Wellington poet Tim Jones credits his education at Gore High School (now Māruawai College) for sparking his interest in poetry.

Jones, who presented his "Southland Roots, Southern Journeys" poetry reading at Invercargill’s Whare Taupua this week, said Southland had sunk deep into his bones, and although it had been many years since he had moved north, the region had left a deep impression on his poetry.

Jones, 66, and his family emigrated to New Zealand from England when he was a baby. He grew up in Southland and started writing poetry while living in different areas including Invercargill, Mataura and Gore.

"I got interested in writing poetry specifically when I was at Gore High School because I was very fortunate to have some very good English teachers there who really encouraged me," Jones said.

His latest collection, Dracula in the Colonies, did not have a particular theme, but did include his interests in science fiction, the environment and politics.

Having attended a school where there were heated discussions about the environment and what was happening around the Save Manapouri campaign fuelled his love for the art of poetry.

"There’s a number of poems there which relate to aspects of me and my parents’ life including poems about emigrating to this country and one about my mother called Restraints," Jones said.

The poem explores his mother’s life in Invercargill and was selected for inclusion in Ōrongohau | Best New Zealand Poems 2022.

Jones said the title of his collection stemmed from his perception of colonialism in New Zealand.

"I imagined that Dracula hitched a ride with Captain Cook ... to come over [to] this side of this world to do his vampire things.

"Dracula stayed on here and now he’s a rapacious 19th century landowner. So it’s a poem about his influence and how it’s seen through to the present day."

nina.tapu@alliedmedia.co.nz