Poetry
Explore the world of poetry with lyrical library resources. This page connects you with poetry-related resources and organisations. Find poetry in our collection, poetry events, and resources on how to write and get it published.
Toitū te Kupu: The Power of Poetry
National Poetry Day competition winners 2026
Leather & Chains: My 1986 Diary Live! - Kate Camp
Toi kupu, toi rakatahi, toi kōrero!
Toitū te Kupu: The Power of Poetry
National Poetry Day competition winners 2026
Leather & Chains: My 1986 Diary Live! - Kate Camp
Toi kupu, toi rakatahi, toi kōrero!
Find poetry in the catalogue
Find poetry in the catalogue
Poetry Prizes
Poetry prizes
American National Book Awards
"The absolute Poet Laureate of Hornby": Megan Clayton
Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award (CLiPPA)
International Dylan Thomas Prize
American National Book Awards
"The absolute Poet Laureate of Hornby": Megan Clayton
Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award (CLiPPA)
International Dylan Thomas Prize
Aotearoa New Zealand poetry
Local poetry groups and events
Catalyst
Catalyst is a literary journal that publishes poetry, prose, fiction, experimental works, song lyrics, script/screenplay excerpts, as well as visual art and spoken word. It is produced by Neoismist Press in Lyttelton. It runs a ‘Poetry Open Mic’ every month.
- Find out more about Catalyst
- Like Catalyst on Facebook
Poetry groups in Christchurch & Canterbury
Groups in Christchurch who get together to study, write and perform poetry. From CINCH.
Takahē Magazine
Magazine that appears three times a year and publishes short stories, poetry and art by established and emerging writers and artists, as well as essays and interviews (by invitation), and book reviews in these related areas.
- Like Takahē Magazine on Facebook.
Poetry resources
New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre
Electronic gateway to poetry resources in Aotearoa/New Zealand and the Pacific region. Based at the University of Auckland, it aims to coordinate existing archival and publishing information, and to present some full-text electronic publication of poetry and commentary in consultation with authors and their publishers.
New Zealand Poetry Society
Organisation advancing education by promoting, developing and supporting poetry and poets in New Zealand. Site includes links to New Zealand poetry journals, New Zealand and international writing resources, and an annual international poetry competition for both adults and young people.
Poetry Archive
Listen to contemporary poets reading their own work. Also included is a wealth of background material on each poet and some filmed interviews.
Getting published
Getting published
Information from the New Zealand Poetry Society.
National Poetry Day
National Poetry Day competition winners 2026
National Poetry Day is a one-day celebration of New Zealand poetry run each year since 1997. In 2026 National Poetry Day was on Friday 28 August.
Read Rachel's post about National Poetry Day 2026 and our poetry competition.
- View all the Poetry Day events in Canterbury
- Like the National Poetry Day Facebook page
- Follow NZ Poetry Day on Instagram
Poetry eResources
Gale
Gale Literature Resource Center
Poetry for tamariki
Poetry has many positive impacts on child development, across all ages and stages. It helps with literacy development and memory skills, as well as stimulating creativity, imagination, and the exploration of new concepts.
Poetry supports language acquisition and development by exposing children to all different types of words, sounds, grammar, and vocabulary. Babies and younger children engage with repetition and rhyme which is why nursery rhymes are so popular. In fact, there is lots of crossover between nursery rhymes, shorter rhyming poems and some picture books.
Poetry supports a child’s emotional development by being an accessible way to explore feelings and learn about new things. It can be fun and playful and a safe creative outlet that can break all the ‘rules’ of language. Our collection has lots of poetry books about interesting topics and we have created a book list of our favourite ones.
Booklists
Ngā Pounamu Māori - Hōngongoi 2026
Best of 2025: Kids' Nonfiction - Poetry, Language, Stories
2024 SLJ Best Books - Poetry, Non-Fiction
Poetry for tamariki
Wā Pēpi: Babytimes
Wā Pēpi-Babytimes
Baby Rhymes
Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award (CLiPPA)
How we have celebrated past Poetry Days
- Our National Poetry Day photos on Flickr
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- Christchurch City Libraries 2014 poetry competition winners Stephen Davies and Catherine Fitchett published on our blog.
- Christchurch City Libraries 2013 poetry competition winners Irena Tojcic and Daniel Bartlett published on our blog.
- 2010
- Montana Poetry Day 2009