28 August 2015
Dunedin poet David Eggleton, (left, photo by Liz March), has been named as the recipient
of the 2015 Janet Frame Literary Trust
Award for Poetry. He will be presented with a cheque for $5,000 at a
National Poetry Day Event to be held in Dunedin tonight in honour of Janet
Frame’s birthday. Janet Frame founded her charitable trust in 1999 and
bequeathed an endowment fund to benefit New Zealand writers. Since Frame’s
death in Dunedin in 2004 her estate has given out $110,000 in grants to writers
as well as donations to literary causes.
David Eggleton said: “I am thrilled to receive this special
Award, both because of what it means in terms of recognition and support for my
own writing, and because Janet Frame is one of my favourite authors, a writer
whose work speaks volumes about being a New Zealander, while challenging the
orthodoxies. She is undoubtedly a major figure in world literature. To be
associated with her legacy in this way is a great honour.”
Raised in Fiji and South Auckland but now based in Dunedin,
David Eggleton is a poet, critic, editor and free-lance journalist who has
published seven books of poetry, one of short fiction and several non-fiction
works. He first came to prominence as a performance poet wielding vernacular
rhythms and eclectic subject matter into satirical and lyrical incantations
that have been described as ‘mesmeric’. His work has been widely anthologised.
His previous accolades include awards for Best First Book of Poetry, Best Book Reviewer,
and ‘Street Entertainer of the Year’ (London, 1985). He held the Robert Burns
Fellowship in 1990. Eggleton is the current editor of the New Zealand literary
magazine Landfall. His latest book of
poems ‘The Conch Trumpet’ was published by Otago University Press earlier this
year.
Janet Frame Literary Trust Chair Pamela Gordon said: “We
are very pleased to acknowledge David Eggleton’s significant contribution to a
vibrant contemporary New Zealand literary scene. He has been carving out a
versatile, robust and courageous career, combining poetry with music,
performance, art, film and multi-media. His is an independent and yet inclusive
voice of Aotearoa New Zealand set in its Pasifika context, offering swathes of
a beautiful lyricism combined with a searing honesty. His latest work ‘Conch
Trumpet’ shows his poetic voice at its very best and the trustees felt that
this outstanding achievement should be recognised.”
Links:
Paula Green interview with David Eggleton ‘Poetry Shelf’:
UK Poetry Archive: David Eggleton:
Cultural
icons Video Interview with David Eggleton:
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