To prove that deaths are of a jamais deux sans trois persuasion, I’ve just heard of another loss to the Canterbury poetry community – the seemingly indomitable Isabelle Hudson died on Saturday (May 30), at the ripe old age of 94. I didn’t know Isabelle well, but I always enjoyed talking with her. She loved poetry, and …
In memory of John O’Connor
We’ve lost another one. John O’Connor died suddenly last Tuesday (May 12th), aged 66. And there is a terrible irony here – he was Helen Bacand’s first publisher, as well as a longtime friend and mentor. John was a huge part of the Canterbury poetry scene, especially haiku. He was one of the first people in this …
In memory of Helen Bascand
This morning I’ve just found out that yet another person I loved has died – the poet Helen Bascand, two days ago (April 27th). She was 86. I’m going to try to keep it together enough to make this a seemly obituary, but it’s going to be a bit of a struggle. Helen was my writing partner …
I’m a Best New Zealand poem!
Hooray! My astronaut poem, Earthrise, has been chosen by Vincent O’Sullivan for Best New Zealand Poems 2014! You can see it (and all the others) here. (Go take a look. It’s a great resource.) I’m feeling quite chuffed about it. I had a lovely time writing it, and doing research around the first forays into space. …
Terry Pratchett loses to his ‘embuggerance’
I’ve been going to blog half a dozen times since this year began, but life kept getting in the way. But now I have to. The writer who I adored above all others died this morning. You can go and look up his biography for yourselves, or read any of the several obituaries (a few links: from …
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A Dark Feathered Art 