Big day out for words that don’t go to the edge of the page

POETRY IN PUBLIC: Poet Ria Masae stands next to a super-sized, solar powered and floodlit poster that features her poem Genesis on Auckland’s Dominion Road. Masae’s poem is one of 10 never-before-postered poems National Poetry Day hosts Phantom Billstickers are pasting up in the lead up to National Poetry Day. Picture by Phantom Billstickers

Radiating Awesomeness is the name of a live poetry jam planned for Gisborne’s part in National Poetry Day next week.

National Poetry Day falls on Friday August 24 but Te Wananga o Aotearoa tutor and poet Jodie Reid will host Radiating Awesomeness in the Whirikoka campus’s cafeteria on Wednesday August 22 in celebration of poetry’s big day out. The session will support local writers, singers and poets with a platform to perform in front of a live audience.

“I’m trying to get more locals in because I know they’re out there doing their own thing,” says Reid.

“It takes a lot of boldness to step out and share. At the last poetry jam there was a poet in her 60s who had written poetry over 30 years. She shared one of her poems for the first time.”

In the short time Reid has run monthly poetry jams the event has become more popular as word gets out.

“Some come to listen — I’m sure they’re closet poets. Others come into this space to try it out.”

There was a young woman from Hamilton, now living in Gisborne, who attended a poetry jam — and thanked Reid for the opportunity. She had searched the Waikato city for such an outlet but had found nothing, says Reid.

Among welcome walk-ins and student poets radiating awesomeness at Radiating Awesomeness will be a spoken-word drummer Reid saw on Facebook performing at Kaiti Mall, and street poet Robyn Hancock.

“Let’s go raw on National Poetry Day,” says Hancock.

“Let’s get properly, cut-to-the-bone real, take it to the edge. Let’s make the ground shake.”

Cut-to-the-bone real, rhyming doggerel, limericks, words with drums, or haiku — it’s all poetry and it’s all welcome.

National Poetry Day is spearheaded by New Zealand-based international poetry poster blitzers Phantom Billstickers. Radiating Awesomeness will be one of 130 events programmed to take place around New Zealand to celebrate the day.

“Expect to encounter poetry in expected and unusual places — on public transport, street posters and footpaths; in cafés, bars, bookshops, and libraries; and at schools, university campuses, retirement villages, marae, theatres and community centres,” say Phantom Billstickers.