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Home , Arthur Mailey, Batting (cricket), Don Bradman, Gideon Haigh, Stan McCabe

. . . Poetry Notes

Summer 2012 Volume 2, Issue 4

ISSN 1179-7681 Quarterly Newsletter of PANZA

from a tour of Canada and the United Inside this Issue Welcome States and stopped by Wellington where an exhibition match at the Basin Hello and welcome to the eighth issue Reserve was scheduled. Bad weather, “a Welcome of Poetry Notes, the newsletter of wash out”, saw their game cancelled, 1 PANZA, the newly formed Poetry and so the next morning Bradman was Mark Pirie on Don Archive of New Zealand Aotearoa. up early to go sightseeing in the Bradman’s 1932 New Poetry Notes will be published quarterly Wairarapa with his wife. Rooming away and will include information about Zealand visit and poems from his team meant Bradman didn’t goings on at the Archive, articles on realise that their match had been hastily Classic New Zealand historical New Zealand poets of interest, rescheduled for later that day (12-2pm) 3 poetry by Bill O’Reilly occasional poems by invited poets and a before their ship was due to sail. record of recently received donations to Unable to contact Bradman or Music review: Fagan and the Archive. Fleetwood-Smith the Aussie “” the People The newsletter will be available for free bowler (no cell phones back then), 4 download from the Poetry Archive’s thousands of fans turned up at the Basin New Zealand poetry website: to catch a glimpse of Bradman only to donations made find their hopes cruelly dashed. 5 to the Poetry Library, http://poetryarchivenz.wordpress.com London Wellington made 43/1 in their limited half hour’s play with Jack Lamason New release by PANZA (who later toured England in 1937) member: Out of It by Mark Pirie on Don getting most of their runs: 26 . Michael O’Leary The rest of the time was for a display of Bradman’s 1932 aggressive from the Australians Donate to PANZA through New Zealand visit and (Nutt, Tolhurst, McCabe, Kippax, the 6 PayPal stylist, Richardson and Rofe). All- poems rounder Stan McCabe prior to this Recently received match had already broken a woman donations spectator’s leg on tour with a powerful Wellington poet/publisher and hit, so expectations must’ve been high writer Mark Pirie recently uncovered for some big hitting. About the Poetry Archive the following poems while delving into The Australians certainly entertained the farcical circumstances surrounding the crowd despite Bradman’s non- Australian cricket great ’s appearance and they made 155/4 in their

New Zealand visit in 1932. 78 minutes with McCabe carrying his bat for 78; Lambert taking 3-72 for Last year, I was reading the A to Z of Wellington (from The Evening Post Bradman and found a humorous entry report and scorecard, 20 September 1932). PANZA on Bradman’s disappointing visit to Wellington in 1932. Bradman returned later that day, miffed PO Box 6637 As the story goes: ’s and most apologetic for missing the Marion Square Australian team was on their way back match. He later tried to make amends Wellington 6141 and made plans to bring a team of

...... Summer 2012 young Australian players for an Don’s part; his absence was due to a bitterly that he had been lured to the exhibition match the following season misunderstanding. Basin under false pretences. Jokingly I but that idea seems to have been ruled suggested that he should write to “the out due to player restrictions by the Dear Percy,—Can you tell me a use for papers” about it. This morning he Australian Board of Control. They the ancient eggs I took down to the brought the enclosed note to me with advised Bradman to take medical rest at wharf for Don Bradman? the request that I should see that it went the close of the season, and so Bradman MELVILLE. to the right quarters. never did light up New Zealand cricket And here’s “F.F.’s” wistful plaint— grounds or please his fans across the “Spy Glass”— Nearly all the boys of our school, that is Tasman. Wellington College went to the Basin to A. Varney of the Wellington Cricket Enter cricket at noon. see Mr. Bradman play, as we were Association had expressed enthusiasm Hero, Mr. Bradman. granted time-off. I bought a new for Bradman’s idea of bringing a team Exit ground at 2 p.m., autograph book to get Mr. Bradman to of young players and A. T. Zero d—n that Bad-man. sign. We were very disappointed when Donnelly of the New Zealand Cricket we found out Mr Bradman was not Council had made further approaches to “Allured’s” comprehensive curse— there, and it was in the paper he would Board of Control (The be—I think the Cricket people might Evening Post 30 December 1932). Due May the pangs of mal der mer disturb have told us so that we would not have to Bradman’s fatigue of “too much him right across the Tasman. been disappointed. Please, excuse my cricket”, however, the idea did not May his mother-in-law come to stay writing, but my autograph book cost 5s, eventuate. with him for three years. and I am cross that I did not get Don’s I decided to look up Bradman’s Whence he puts his cricket boots on name in it. unfortunate Wellington visit further in may his corns hurt so he becomes as the National Library of New Zealand’s slow as a tuatara with the sciatica. As can be seen in the responses above, Papers Past digital archive. There I When he misses one of Larwood’s fast Bradman’s visit seems to have uncovered, in Percy Flage’s popular ones, may the wind blow his bails off. unwittingly occasioned New Zealand column “Postscripts” (The Evening When he is waiting to catch a ball in the cricket verse on the matter. “Rosie Post, 17 & 21 September 1932), a may his trousers commence Neath” and “Spy Glass” as far as I can barrage of remarks and verses in to fall down. tell were regular contributors to the response to his visit and his perceived May he be as cold all through the column in searches for their names on no show at the Basin. summer, as I felt about 2 o’clock to- Papers Past. “L.D.A” is L. D. Austin. On 17 September, Flage publishes a day. Niel Wright informs me that Percy poem before the Bradman game Flage was in fact journalist and editor, (mentioning popular Wellington player From L.D.A.— C. A. Marris, who edited among other Herb McGirr): things the Best New Zealand Poems Absent Bradman Certainly Debarred series of the . Ruth Gilbert (who EXHIBITION CRICKET. Enthusiasts From Going Home had poems included in “Postscripts”) Infectiously Jovial; Keen Loyalty Made told Wright that Flage was Marris. Would it please you, oh my brother, if, Nine-tenths Of People Querulous; before he had a smack, Recriminative Spectators Think Don was skittled for a “blob” – or Unutterable Vituperation When Postscript would you want your money back? ‘Xtirpating Yesterday’s Zest. And I was one of ‘em, Percy. As a postscript to the Bradman visit, And if Herb. McGirr clumped Mailey I’ve uncovered a further poem on twice or thrice into the stand, “Rosie Neath” returns his gold brick— Bradman also in the “Postscripts” Would you take it hard, or would you column (The Evening Post, 3 February shout and howl to beat the band? We went to the Basin 1932) in relation to his status prior to Celebrity chasin’ the Wellington visit. It’s a celebration of Then on 21 September, Flage prints a Not fearin’ a trick. Wellington cricketer and all-rounder vivid display of disappointment from We found we were “had,” man— Herb McGirr: local cricket fans after the match: “No appearance of Bradman.” Now we look for the bad man OUR ’ERB DISAPPOINTED! Who sold that gold brick. This rhyme is Isidore McFlage’s way of Miniature flood of metaphorical brick- “Mac” passes on a note from: youthful protesting against the continual bats for Bradman, who did not appear at “Flannelled Fool,” with this adulation bestowed on Don Bradman the Basin yesterday. However, it is explanation:—Yesterday my boss’s son, while that bane of bowlers has yet to reported that it was no discourtesy on called at the office and complained

2 ...... Poetry Archive meet Herb. McGirr. Precisely. Gangway Kippax in his own back yard wonderful biography of O’Reilly, for Izzy. Practises intensively, Commo Bill: ‘People’s Poet’, that Darkling doubts assail Ken Rigg, includes a large number of his poems This chap Bradman must we all Also Ironmonger, (including those from Sporting Rhymes our derbies up, and bawl Richardson feels not so big, the only collection of his published in Every time he lands a score Wishing he were younger, his lifetime) as well as his life story in Of three figures, say, or more? Oldfield’s lost his savoir faire, words and pictures. No doubt he is pretty good Ponsford’s got the “willies,” O’Reilly was a committed member of When he’s laying on the wood, Wall is nearly in despair— the Communist Party of New Zealand But I want to warn you, sir, Aren’t they all sillies? that he joined in 1929. Best remembered Wait until he meets McGirr! for his work during the Great Depression when he was a leader of Don has slammed the Springboks unemployed workers, O’Reilly was also well— involved in the Waterfront Lockout of Quinn, McMillan, Vincent, Bell; ’51 when he championed his fellow Pasted Larwood, Voce, and Tate waterside workers and stood loyal At a most prodigious rate. through tough times. By 1955, While his critics bowed the head, O’Reilly’s popularity with workers and And would not be comforted. their interests voted him in as Mayor of Still … I think there’ll be a stir Thorndon, “the first Communist Mayor When he takes on Herb McGirr! in New Zealand” (Bill’s words); he also did charity work for blind children If one man his dash can curb under the auspices of the popular You can bet your life it’s Herb. “Mayor of Thorndon Blind Children’s He is game to take all on— ”. Hobbs and Duleep, Woodfull, Don. As a poet, he wrote dozens of verses, Let them play the rock, or hit, mainly Acrostics, and was interested in Mc. just doesn’t care a bit. a variety of sports, including “Wizard with the willow”… brrr! Photo: Don Bradman and his wife (left) on football, league, rugby, cricket, boxing, Wait until he meets McGirr! arrival in Wellington, 1932, by The Evening wrestling, racing and trotting. He also Post. wrote pub poems and poems about I’m unable to find out who Isidore places, verses for his family and friends, McFlage is. He was a regular (Sources: The Evening Post [1932] from and wrote in response to political contributor to “Postscripts”, had an Papers Past, National Library of New ideologues he disagreed with from his Zealand digital archive; and the A to Z of interest in politics, verse, sport and Marxist viewpoint. Bradman by Alan Eason; foreword by gardening, lived in “the Glen, Kelburn”. (Scribe, , 2008)) The booklet, Sporting Rhymes, was Flage also refers to him as his “cousin printed when he was a Thorndon McFlage” but that is no more helpful. Mark Pirie is a New Zealand poet, Mayoral candidate to help raise funds A further cricket poem by McFlage editor, publisher and archivist for by penny votes for the blind children’s (also in “Postscripts”, The Evening Post, PANZA. In 2010, he edited the appeal. 14 September 1932) pokes fun at the successful anthology of New Zealand Australian Ashes team, naming 12 cricket poetry A Tingling Catch Bill O’Reilly players of the period, and includes (foreword by Don Neely) and currently Bradman: writes its offshoot blog Tingling Catch “THE MAYOR OF THORNDON” (http://tinglingcatch.blogspot.com). MORAL EFFECT Thorndon’s the most democratic place in this fair and favoured land, Isidore McFlage, in dear dead day For here a bloke can cast his vote with a beyond recall our sister Camou’s Classic New Zealand handle in his hand, “steady,” spins this “wrong un” of his at It doesn’t matter who you are, you may those terrifying English cricket critics. poetry come from anywhere, From Timbuctoo or Oamaru and help us Bradman’s trembling at the hocks, This issue’s classic New Zealand poetry elect our Mayor, Woodfull’s far from cheerful, is by worker poet Bill O’Reilly (1898- For we don’t stand on ceremony, we’re Grimmett, the unorthodox, 1959). not the exacting sort, Grows a trifle fearful, In 2010, Bill’s daughter, Pauline And there’s never a mayoral candidate Stan McCabe is thinking hard, O’Reilly Leverton, published a who isn’t a thorough sport, Fleetwood-Smith moans pensively

...... 3 Summer 2012 So you will not find us mean enough to My spirits will soar aloft again and all Yes, we’ll be toiling still my lads, when limit your votes to one my cares be past. you are on your way For every vote you register like the rays Instead of that cooped up feeling in the In shining limousines and such to some of a friendly sun haunts of land-bogged men, swell cabaret. Will warm the hearts of all poor blind Riding at ease on the wide flung seas, So keep the whips a cracking. Be sure kids who dwell in Wellington, I’ll really feel free again. we do not shirk And that is the reason my friends, why For if we do, it’s ten to one that you we who live down Thorndon way (Note: Presented to the master and crew might have to work. Refuse to be trammelled by electoral of the sailing ship the Barque Pamir, laws on our election day. and published in the Evening Post, 20 (Poems taken from Sporting Rhymes We’ve had our ups and downs of September 1945.) (Wellington: Standard Press, 1955, course, still we have eyes that see, courtesy of The Hocken Library, And for poor little kids who walk in the Dunedin) and Commo Bill: ‘People’s dark a deep-set sympathy. KING CRICKET Poet’: A Biography of William Daniel So to the hustings everyone, it’s a joy to O’Reilly 1898-1959 by Pauline O’Reilly know somewhere (Acrostic) Leverton (Wellington: One Off Press, We’ll find a spot in a blind kid’s heart 2010)) and a place in a blind kid’s prayer. (Written in welcome to the Australian Cricketers Capt. Brown, V-Capt. O’Reilly.) Music review: Fagan “THE THISTLE INN” Kindred from across the Tasman, and the People When I am in this cosy pub with good wielders of the willow blade, mates all around It’s a joy to give you greeting may your I never hear the winches grind or hear glories never fade. Andrew Fagan, poet, musician and the whistle sound Northwards far the wide-flung coastline sailor of the South Pacific seas, returns For a brief space of time I can forget the of the land that you hold dear and in fine form. To those who are fans coal grabs pestering din Grieve not tho’ my bold Australians of Fagan’s music from way back, And thank the gods I am here snug in still you’ll find your boundaries here. Admiral of the Narrow Seas (put out by the “Thistle Inn” Big Ears Music NZ) will not disappoint And when within this cosy pub I’ve , Vice, Official Teamsmen we and will soundtrack your Kiwi summer. emptied nine or ten salute you one and all Like a lot of people I best remember I have a feeling wondrous kind towards Recognising in your person artists of him as charismatic front man for The my fellow men both bat and ball. Mockers in the ’80s who penned Kiwi And with each glass that follows these In the pre-war days who gave us after classics like ‘Forever Tuesday Morning, my own conceit expands midnight little rest ‘Another Boring Day in the Amazon’ Until at last I hold the world in the Cos we sat around the wireless listening and ‘My Girl Thinks She’s Cleopatra’ hollow of my hands. to the flaming test. so much a part of my teen years. Kindred from across the Tasman, home Later in the ’90s he went solo with of Dave and home of Dad. Blisters (1993) which contained PAMIR Every sport in God’s Own Country will memorable songs like ‘Now You be feeling mighty glad Know’ and ‘Jerusalem’ and then moved (Acrostic) That despite your great achievements to London for a while where he worked you would still pay us a call as a roadie and lived on a houseboat on Piping loud is the wind my lads, the Just to show our lads some pointers the River Thames, while playing in good ship’s tight and free, with the bat and with the ball. various creations like Lig in Camden And that is the music mariners, that’s Town. the sweetest of all to me; Now back in Auckland, New Zealand, Many find beauty in bush and rill, yet I BACK AT SIX working in broadcasting with Kiwi FM will make reply, and Radio Live, he has delivered once I find it most in rustling sails and white When you sit down to dinner, the inner more with his long-awaited release from waves heaving high, man to fix Fagan and the People. Restless then of the land’s embrace I’ll Just spare a thought for us poor blokes I say ‘long-awaited’ because I heard hie myself way, who hobble back at six; early demos of some of these songs Putting the pubs behind me, lads, for the For there are ships to empty and there when Fagan was a guest at a poetry feel of the salted spray. are ships to fill event I co-organised in 2006 called Away out there on a flowing sea, with a And when you’ve laid your napkin Poetrymath (after the Rolling Stones’ wind that follows fast; down, why we’ll be toiling still. Aftermath album). That year I published 4 ...... Poetry Archive his poetry book, Overnight Downpour, About the Book through HeadworX. I’ve always like New Zealand poetry Fagan’s work as well as his dark lyrics, donations made to the Michael O’Leary’s Out of It was first he has that rare gift to write well-crafted published in 1987. and layered pop tunes. Poetry Library, Since then it has become a New Zealand Tracks on this new album ‘Get Light’ cult classic and is possibly the only New and the opener ‘Enjoy the Show’ carry London Zealand literary cricket novel published that sonorous, melodious approach here. resonant of a lot of UK and NZ Indie The novel conjures a surreal cricket pop. There is also a feel of UK acts like PANZA is pleased to announce that game between New Zealand and an Bloc Party in tracks like ‘Religion’, they have donated the following titles to invitation Out of It XI at Eden Park, ‘Clemency’ or the powerful drum-laden the Poetry Library in London during Auckland, in dadaist and modernist and mad cap ‘Messiah’: ‘I am your December 2011-January 2012: prose in the Irish-Māori tradition. Messiah/ I aim take the species higher’ This new 25th anniversary collector’s which has a great little guitar solo near Helen Blackshaw, This slender volume. edition, edited by cricket poetry the end, a good album closer. Christina Beer, This fig tree has thorns. anthologist and poet Mark Pirie, adds I wouldn’t like to focus on what his Eileen Duggan, More Poems. amendments to the first edition along songs sound like too much as clearly – New Zealand Poems. with appendices, including a full Fagan is a mature songwriter now and is Robin Fry Portals. scorecard of the Out of It , notes, his own singular artist. The album title, – Time Traveller. an interview with the author and a Admiral of the Narrow Seas, for John O’Connor, Bright the Harvest bibliography of New Zealand cricket instance is pure Fagan like his lyrics and Moon: Haiku and Renga Imitations. fiction and poetry. is ‘a sea phrase that comes from an Michael O’Leary, Out of It (cricket 25 years on, Out of It, as Pirie writes in 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.’ prose/poetry) (2 copies). the foreword, ‘remains a highly My favourites are the rockier and – Paneta Street (2 copies). imaginative, original and colourful heavier pop tunes like ‘Prised’, ‘I Peter Bland, Coming Ashore. read.’ Know’ and ‘Blame Me’, where his Tim Jones, Men Briefly Explained. peculiar genius shines through. I also Vivienne Plumb, The Cheese & Onion ‘If you are a collector of Bohemian like the use of trombone, sax and Sandwich & Other NZ Icons cricket memorabilia, this book is for trumpet in various places on this album (2 copies). your shelf. It is certainly a boon to te as well as the restless range of musical Helen Lehndorf, The Comforter kirikiti o Aotearoa...’– Rangi Faith styles on show here. It gives the album (2 copies). an eclectic mix and variety. Mark Pirie, Thinking Cap: A Book of ‘O’Leary has ... the demeanour of a Congrats to all those who worked on Epigrams. cricket – when he says it’s out this. I would expect this album to rock World Words: An Anthology of then it’s out. He can also lob an played live. Fagan has always been a International Writers in NZ impressive ball down a pitch as he can crowd-pleaser and willing to engage his (2 copies). play a riff à la Hendrix on any available audience. I hope he tours near my place instrument.’ – Gregory O’Brien soon. New release by About the Author and Editor

PANZA member: Michael O’Leary (b. 1950) is a well known Paekakariki-based bookshop Out of It by Michael proprietor, publisher, novelist, poet and performer. His numerous publications O’Leary include several volumes of poetry from HeadworX: Toku Tinihanga: Selected Poems 1982-2002, Make Love and War, TITLE: Out of It: A Novel Cricket Novel Sounds of Sonnets (with Mark Pirie) and AUTHOR: Michael O’Leary Paneta Street. In 2011 his words were EDITOR: Mark Pirie set to music by local Kapit Coast ISBN: 978-0-473-20113-5 CD review by Mark Pirie musicians on the CD, Fences Fall. He is Price: $20.00 publisher for Earl of Seacliff Art Extent: 65 pages PANZA owns and holds all four of Workshop, an established independent Format: 148mmx210mm Andrew Fagan’s slim volumes. publisher of contemporary New Zealand Publication: February 2012 poetry and fiction. Publisher: HeadworX

...... 5 Summer 2012 Mark Pirie is a New Zealand poet, Helen Rickerby – The Comforter by • CDs of NZ poets reading their work editor, writer and publisher. In 2010, he Helen Lehndorf and The Cheese and • Inspirational talks on NZ poets edited the successful anthology of New Onion Sandwich & Other NZ Icons by • Video/DVD/film screenings of Zealand cricket poetry A Tingling Catch Vivienne Plumb. documentaries on NZ poets (foreword by Don Neely) and currently • Readings/book launches by NZ poets writes its offshoot blog Tingling Catch. Rosemary Kingston – 17 titles. • Educational visits for primary schools, intermediates, colleges, universities and Gary Langford – 8 titles. creative writing schools/classes. • The Northland Writers’ Walk (in PANZA kindly thanks these donators to planning) the archive. You can assist the preservation of NZ poetry by becoming one of the About the Poetry Friends of the Poetry Archive of New Zealand Aotearoa (PANZA ). Archive If you’d like to become a friend or business sponsor of PANZA, please contact us. Poetry Archive of New Zealand Aotearoa (PANZA) Contact Details Poetry Archive of NZ Aotearoa

PANZA contains (PANZA) 1 Woburn Road, Northland, Wellington A unique Archive of NZ published PO Box 6637, Marion Square, Donate to PANZA poetry, with around five thousand titles Wellington from the 19th to the present Dr Niel Wright - Archivist through PayPal day. (04) 475 8042 The Archive also contains photos and Dr Michael O’Leary - Archivist (04) 905 7978 You can now become a friend of paintings of NZ poets, publisher’s email: [email protected] PANZA or donate cash to help us catalogues, poetry ephemera, posters, continue our work by going to reproductions of book covers and other Visits by appointment only http://pukapukabooks.blogspot.com and memorabilia related to NZ poetry and accessing the donate button – any poetry performance. Current PANZA Members: donation will be acknowledged. Wanted Mark Pirie (HeadworX), Roger Steele NZ poetry books (old & new) (Steele Roberts Ltd), Michael O’Leary Other NZ poetry items i.e. critical books (Earl of Seacliff Art Workshop) and Recently received on NZ poetry, anthologies of NZ poetry, Niel Wright (Original Books). poetry periodicals and broadsheets, donations poetry event programmes, posters Current Friends of PANZA: Paul and/or prints of NZ poets or their poetry Thompson, Gerrard O’Leary, Vaughan books. Rapatahana and the New Zealand Cecilia Johnson – 12 boxes of Louis Poetry Society. Johnson’s international literary DONT THROW OUT OLD NZ magazines, including substantial New POETRY! SEND IT TO PANZA PANZA is a registered charitable trust Zealand material i.e. Landfall up to the

1980s. PANZA will offer:

• Copies of NZ poetry books for private Emma Barnes – Enamel literary journal research and reading purposes. Nos. 1-3. • Historical information for poets,

writers, journalists, academics, Robert McLean – Goat Songs by Robert researchers and independent scholars of McLean and For Renato Curcio by NZ poetry. Robert McLean. • Photocopying for private research

purposes. Mark Raffills – loved, mis-loved and • Books on NZ poetry and literary loved again and The Cornfields & Other history, and CD-ROMs of NZ poetry Poems by Mark Raffills. and literature 6 ......