Anthology of the Poetrywall

Poetrywall is the anthology of the poems written on the Poetrywall at Winter Readings 2007, an event dedicated to the British rock band Oasis and held at the City Gallery in Wellington.

This year Michael O’Leary and Mark Pirie, the organisers of the annual reading series, asked the audience to participate by writing on their Poetrywall. At the end of the readings, Michael O’Leary awarded his inaugural Earl of Seacliff Poetry Prize for 2007 to the best poem on the wall. The winning poem ‘Listening For The Ocean’ by Evelyn Conlon is included.

The other poems collected from the wall show a surprising and diverse mix of poetry styles from the more well-known names like Marilyn Duckworth, Stephen Oliver, Richard Langston and L.E. Scott, to new and younger writers! There are 44 poets anthologized in total. Most important of all the Poetrywall concept makes poetry open to all poets and audience members.

A few poems published here were emailed from overseas especially for the event, and the first poem on the wall which was sent to start it all off is by well known poet/songwriter, Andrew Fagan.

Note: This book is a follow-up and complementary supplement to the recently published Poetrywall: Winter Readings 2007, an anthology of the 12 Winter Readings readers.

The organisers, Mark Pirie and Michael O’Leary, in front of the Poetrywall.

Sample Poem

Listening For The Ocean (for Pete)

I cradled you to my ear

like a shell.

We’re listening for the ocean.

In the dark we trawl our way

through telephone wires.

I hear your voice underwater.

The cord winds around my finger,

while you sing words to me.

They ring softly.

Sounds like everyone I’ve ever known

Sounds like home.

Dropped onto its cradle like a stone

Put back together like a skull.

I can’t bear the wave of your

post-goodnight silence.

I’d rather be drowned in my own.

Evelyn Conlon

(Winner of the Earl of Seacliff Poetry Prize for 2007, as judged by Michael O'Leary, the Earl of Seacliff)

TITLE               POETRYWALL: Anthology of the Poetrywall
EDITORS        Mark Pirie and Gemma Rowsell
PUBLISHED    2007
CATEGORY    Poetry Anthology
FORMAT         Paperback
EXTENT           A5, 32 pages
ISBN                1-86942-095-0    978-1-86942-095-6
PRICE              NZ $10