Frenetic, poetic day in play

VERSE: National Poetry Day is on August 28

National Poetry Day on August 28 should have "something for everyone" this year, say organisers.

National Poetry Day has been celebrated in New Zealand for the past 18 years and in Wairarapa since 2011.

Taking place in late August every year, National Poetry Day is a day full of events and activities for everyone to "just have fun with poetry", says co-ordinator Madeleine Slavick.

She said previous years were well received in Wairarapa with events such as Poetry on the Highway last year that involved more than 60 stores across Wairarapa showcasing poetry in their windows.

On Friday, August 28, people can expect to see birds and dance, listen to music and eat plenty of food as events pop up from town to town throughout Wairarapa.

Things to look out for include Birds & Words at Pukaha Mt Bruce in the morning, when people will be able to stroll through the bush and listen to early birdsong or piece together their own poems over breakfast in thecafe.

There will also be Dance is Poetry, Poetry is Dance at the town hall in Greytown that will involve freestyle dancing to the rhythm of poems being read out.

Selfie Poems will be an all-day event where anyone can post a photo of him or herself with a poem to the When Poetry Comes to Town Facebook page.

"We tried to make different events for different people" said Ms Slavick, an author and photographer who moved to Wairarapa from the United States in 2012. She has been co-ordinating and participating in National Poetry Day ever since.

"Nature lovers can go in the morning to Pukaha and the more musical people can go to the blues evening over at Taratahi.

"Everything is free and anyone can come along and participate," Ms Slavick said.

For more information on events see the National Poetry Day Facebook page.