Friday 22 August is Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day. Check out the National Poetry Day website to see what's happening.
National Poetry Day competition
Write, inspire and compete!
In celebration of National Poetry Day, we are running a Poetry competition. Winners will have their poem printed on a tote bag!
Entries are open from 18 to 31 August. Find out more.
Do Poetry! WORD Christchurch Festival
WORD Christchurch Festival 2025 is on from 27 August to 31 August). Read our Poetry at WORD Christchurch post to see all the good poetry stuff that's happening.
Our favourite NZ poems
For a five-year old by Fleur Adcock
Fee's pick
I love the dichotomy of it that puts the reader in the mind and conflict between child and adult and its perfect for spring!
The Magpies by Denis Glover
Troy's pick
Denis Glover's The Magpies and the lines at the end of each stanza. It's both evocative of their beautiful song but a beautiful illustration of nature completely unconcerned with us and the passing of time.
"And Quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle
The magpies said"
The most beautiful love poem of all time by Hera Lindsay Bird
Donna's pick: I love a list and I love love, therefore this poem is perfection.
“The most beautiful love poem of all time is like shaking hands with the world. The most beautiful love poem of all time is like introducing basketball to the moon. The most beautiful love poem of all time is like a really awesome burrito.”
You might also know Hera from the fab advice column in The Spinoff Help Me Hera.
Both For a Five-year old and The Magpies are in the book Remember Me, edited by Anne Kennedy
Watch our interview with Apirana Taylor
Last year's winner of the Prime Minister's Achievement Award for Literature in the category of poetry, Apirana Taylor, appeared at an event at Tūranga earlier in the year. In this interview he talks with librarians Ngapiu and Julia about how came to poetry, how he works, and why he describes his poetry as being "like shaking someone's hand with one hand and slapping them in the face with the other" (35 mins).
Shout out for the NZ Poetry Shelf
If you like poetry, I highly recommend subscribing to poet, author, reviewer and anthologist Paula Green's wonderful NZ Poetry Shelf.
Here are some New Zealand poetry books published in 2025, and a selection of the choice titles they contain. Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day 2025 is on Friday 22 August.
If you happen to walk down Victoria Street, you will be lucky enough to see Ōtākaro to Victoria by Hinemoana Baker.
I am forever admiring the poetic connections Phantom Billstickers makes.
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