Today is National Poetry Day

Today is National Poetry Day and PANZA (Poetry Archive of NZ Aotearoa) would like to celebrate by posting a classic New Zealand poem by John Henry Dillon (1860-1922).

Dillon was a New Zealand-born Manawatū poet and builder, living in Palmerston North. He was the son of John Frederick and Maria Dillon.

His only collection Echoes of the War and Other Poems, appeared in 1897 printed by Wm. Hart, Caxton Printing Works, Palmerston North, and J C Andersen lists it in his 1936 Author’s Week bibliography.

As well as poems concerning the land wars of the 19^th century (‘The Fall of Von Tempsky’ for instance) and pioneering bush-life, the book contains a moving poem about the wreck of the steamship Wairarapa on the Great Barrier Rocks in 1894.

Andrew Fagan recently revisited this tragedy of New Zealand’s past for TV One’s series about New Zealand disasters, Descent from Disaster.

Dillon’s poem further illuminates the tragedy by offering a powerful insight into the ferocity of the ocean and illustrates the helplessness of the passengers aboard at the time the ship struck the rocks.

The poem will register strongly for all who lost family members in the tragedy.

PANZA recognises John Henry Dillon as a rewarding and worthwhile poet of the 19^th century.  He doesn’t appear in any New Zealand poetry anthology that PANZA is aware of.

 

John Henry Dillon

 

The Wreck of the Wairarapa
on the Great Barrier Rocks

 

On a dark October evening, at the silent midnight hour,
  Through the surge of maddened waters as they rush around her side;
With her head towards the harbour, though the storm clouds darkly lower,
  Sweeps the steamer Wairarapa like a giant in his pride.

 

To read the rest of the poem, click on the link below:

http://poetryarchivenz.wordpress.com/2013/08/16/national-poetry-day-poem-the-wreck-of-the-wairarapa/