POET AWARDED CREATIVE NEW ZEALAND RESIDENCY

New Zealand poet Jeffrey Paparoa Holman has been awarded Creative New Zealand’s University of Iowa residency for 2012.

Christchurch-based Holman will use the three-month residency to work on two new books of poems. Both cover new ground: Second Cuts is based on his experiences working in shearing gangs in the 60s and early 70s and in the second book, The True and Intimate Confessions of a Dylan Junkie, each poem is inspired by a line from the Bob Dylan song, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.

“It is a huge privilege to have a block of time to dedicate to these two books,’’ Dr Holman says. “Iowa is the centre of the creative writing universe historically - a hotbed of excellence - and that is bound to be energising for any writer.’’

Dr Holman is senior adjunct fellow in the School of Humanities at the University of Canterbury. He writes both poetry and non-fiction (history, biography and memoir). He has published seven books of poetry, including Fly Boy (Steele Roberts, 2010); and Autumn Waiata (Cold Hub Press, 2010) and has been included in numerous anthologies. His non-fiction includes Best of Both Worlds: the story of Elsdon Best and Tutakangahau (Penguin, 2010).

Prompted by the Christchurch earthquakes, particularly the 22 February 2011 event which killed 185 people, he has produced a new volume of poetry, Shaken Down 6.3, to be published by Canterbury University Press in June. A new non-fiction book, The Lost Pilot, (Penguin) is due out in 2013.

The Creative New Zealand’s annual University of Iowa residency is open to both emerging and established writers. Creative New Zealand’s grant of $20,000 goes towards airfares, accommodation and living expenses for the selected writer.

The University of Iowa’s International Writing Programme brings together writers from around the world to join the lively literary community on campus. Dr Holman will travel to Iowa in late August.