Old and new voices in NZ poetry featured

My copy of the New Zealand Listener was in my mail box this morning and I have spent the last couple of hours reading it from cover to cover - the usual great array of features but there are two stories in this issue that I especially enjoyed.

First up deputy editor Mark Broatch's  "A golden ride" - a wonderful three page piece on poet Kevin Ireland (left) who is celebrating 50 years in print, as well as his 80th birthday, and.a new collection, selected poems 1963-2013 published this last week by Steele Roberts.

Then Books & Culture Editor Guy Somerset gives us  an insightful piece on newcomer poet Helen Heath (right) who's labours have won her this year's Best First Book Award for Poetry for her marvellous collection ,Graft, from publisher Victoria University Press.

There are also book reviews of The Quiet Earth by Craig Harrison, The Quarry by Iain Banks,The Fall of Light by Sarah Quigley, The Keeper of Secrets by Julie Thomas and Astray by Emma Donoghue. A rich haul.


One sad thing though in the Listener this week is the announcement from Cultural Curmudgeon Hamish Keith that his column in this issue is his last. I greatly regret this and hope he can be persuaded to return at some stage as his column is always thoughtful, often provocative, and has been greatly enjoyed by art loving lay people like me. Thanks Hamish.

Note:
Photo of Kevin Ireland by Richard Robinson, photo of Helen Heath taken at the book launch at Unity Books Wellington last year.