Poetry shots hit their mark at Rotorua bookstore

Brian Potiki performs his poetry among the crowd. Photo/Supplied

Close to 60 people packed into a Rotorua bookstore to listen to poetry readings.

Last Saturday McLeods Booksellers hosted Poetry Shots, an annual event held to celebrate New Zealand Poetry Day.

The shots repeatedly hit their mark with performances from Brian Potiki, Angela Frank, Keith Nunnes, Jeshel Forrester and Tawhanga Nopera.

The audience was also pleasantly surprised by the arrival of full-time poet Dariel Merritt.

The floor was then opened to the audience and Chilean poet Cesar Alacon read in Spanish his ballad to Rotorua.

This was then translated into English by Mark Collet and into Maori by Katrine Collet.

McLeods Booksellers provided refreshments and the koha jar reflected a well satisfied audience.

Bookseller Mike Byrne says the first poetry shots had been intimate and successful.

"This time there were twice as many people, and it was even more successful," he says.

Mike says poetry, old and new, is becoming popular again.

"It reflects Rotorua's cultural hub very well," he says.

"McLeods fully supports events of this kind and it's all for a good cause."