Christine Cole Catley 1922 - 2011

Saturday afternoon at 2.30pm and the Maclaurin Chapel at the University of Auckland was packed with authors, poets, publishers, librarians, booksellers, designers, academics and many other friends, family members, and admirers of Chris Cole Catley (left at a recent book launch) who died last Sunday after a brief illness.
This was a celebration of Chris' life following a private family funeral service and I'm sure our dear departed Dame Chris would have thoroughly approved of the event which got off to a fine start with Kirsten MacKenzie playing classic hits from the 30's 40's & 50's on the chapel piano.
In the hour and a half that followed we had music, reminiscences, poetry with eulogies from Judy MacKenzie, Dame Cath Tizard, C.K.Stead, Sarah Beck, Nicola Scott, Gavin Scott, John & Annie Cole, Elizabeth Aitken Rose, Jenny & Martin Cole.
And then we wandered across to Old Government House for a glass or three of wine and loads of chat and recalling of memories of the life of a special woman who touched so many in her life.

Here is Jo Emeney's poem Dedication Page from her recent collection, Apple & Tree (Cape Catley), which was launched at Takapuna Public Library last month, and which she read at yesterday's celebration.


Dedication Page

Let us be books together

you and I.

Let us closely lie

stacked two-tiered

backs touching

spine-edges spooning

soft cloth bound

and gilt-edged

on some antique

pleasantly dusty ledge.

Let us read each other

without having to look

at the words.

Let our time be spent

between the lines –

open content exposed –

fresh as new-cut pages' scent.

Let us be prequel and sequel

equal to the story we tell today.

Let us vow to stay

companion volumes.

Always.

Footnote:

Ave, nga mihi, ciao, farewell Chris, yours was a busy life very well spent and like many others I will miss hugely your infectious enthusiasm for life and especially for all things literary. And no one else ever called me "sweetie" ! I shall miss that too.