Poet pens an ode to dead anarchist's tragic story

Poet Airini Beautrais with her latest book, Dear Neil Roberts. Ms Beautrais is standing in front of a part of the old Wanganui Computer in storage at the Whanganui Regional Museum. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

Wanganui poet Airini Beautrais was a few weeks away from entering the world when anarchist Neil Roberts attempted to bomb the Wanganui Computer Centre, killing himself.

Thirty-two years later, that act and the events surrounding it have inspired Ms Beautrais to write a book of poetry, which will be launched in Wanganui on November 14.

Dear Neil Roberts, published by Victoria University Press, is Ms Beautrais' third book of poetry, but her first that involves an historical event.

"It's written as separate poems, but it is designed to be read as one long poem," Ms Beautrais said.

Although she grew up in Wanganui - and was born here just a few weeks after the bombing on November 18, 1982 - Ms Beautrais did not hear about the event until she met some anarchists in Auckland.

"I was quite upset about it. It was such a drastic and desperate act, and such a sad way to end a life."

Neil Roberts was a 22-year-old from Auckland who lived in Taranaki for some months before his death. He planted the bomb as a protest against what he saw as "creeping fascism" in New Zealand under then-Prime Minister Robert Muldoon.

Before he died, he spray-painted "We have maintained a silence closely resembling stupidity" on a public toilet block near the computer building, alongside an anarchist symbol.

Neil Roberts' story stayed with Ms Beautrais, and she began researching and writing Dear Neil Roberts in 2011.

She told the Wanganui Chronicle it was difficult to write one long poem, as it was hard to keep the momentum of the work going for the entire book.

"It was quite intimidating to have to stick to historical facts as well," she said.

But now Ms Beautrais is "hooked on history" and is halfway through a PhD in creative writing at Victoria University, focusing on the Whanganui River.

Victoria University Press editor Fergus Barrowman will be at the launch of Dear Neil Roberts, as will author Elizabeth Knox.

The cover of the book is a pencil drawing by Wanganui artist Catherine Macdonald, showing a view of the Whanganui River from the Wanganui Computer Centre, now known as Wairere House.

All are welcome to the book launch at the Whanganui Regional Museum on November 14 at 5.30pm.