Poetry

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.

Find poetry in the catalogue

Find poetry in the catalogue

New Zealand poetry

Blog posts and interviews of New Zealand poets

Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day

Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day is a one-day celebration of New Zealand poetry run each year since 1997. In 2023 it will take place on Friday 25 August.

How we have celebrated past Poetry Days

Flickr Album: Poetry in Christchurch

Photos of poets and poetry events in Christchurch.

Poetry eResources

Poetry eResources

Poetry Prizes

Poetry prizes

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.

Christchurch poetry events
Listing from the New Zealand Poetry Society of Christchurch poetry events..

Poetica: The Ōtautahi-Christchurch Poetry Project
Poetica: The Christchurch Urban Poetry Project aims to bring poetry to the streets of Ōtautahi via visual art, installations, and public performance.

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.

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.

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

Poetry topics on specific subjects like dinosaurs & feelings

Poems about all your favourite topics from feelings to dinosaurs to atoms to jellyfish, and everything in between.

Great poetry, just in a picture book!

Some great children's poetry is now published as picture books. Here are some of our favourites - great rhyming, rhythm and fun.

Classic children's poetry

Classic children's poetry as chosen by the buyers of children's books at Christchurch City Libraries.

Poetry for tamariki

Wā Pēpi: Babytimes

Wā Pēpi: Babytimes

Wā Pēpi: Babytimes - enjoy stories and rhymes for babies and under 2s at home.

Baby Rhymes

Can’t make it to Babytimes Wā Pēpi? - why not try it at home? Words and actions for some of our favourite action rhymes to try at home.

Wā Pēpi: Babytimes

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