Poetry Notes

. . . Poetry Notes

Autumn 2012 Volume 3, Issue 1

ISSN 1179-7681 Quarterly Newsletter of PANZA

Jessie Pope (1868-1941), born in Inside this Issue Welcome Leicester, a ‘versatile London writer’, was a prolific female humorist, Hello and welcome to the ninth issue of journalist and children’s author with Welcome Poetry Notes, the newsletter of PANZA, masculine interests: ‘She is a very much 1 the newly formed Poetry Archive of outdoor young lady. She rides, swims, Mark Pirie on Jessie New Zealand Aotearoa. walks…and beagles’ (Colonist article, Pope’s ANZAC poems Poetry Notes will be published quarterly 1914). She wrote ‘simple rhymes to suit and will include information about the times’ covering popular subjects, goings on at the Archive, articles on including men’s sports such as rugby Michael O’Leary on Esma historical New Zealand poets of interest, football. 4 North and Marjory Lydia occasional poems by invited poets and a She published her poems and stories Nicholls record of recently received donations to widely in Punch, The Daily Mail, The the Archive. Evening Standard, The Westminster Classic New Zealand The newsletter will be available for free Gazette, Nash’s Magazine, Vanity Fair, poetry by M A J Wall download from the Poetry Archive’s The Novel Magazine, Pall Mall Gazette, 6 website: The Daily Express, The New Magazine, Noted poet K O Arvidson The Windsor Magazine etc. and in 7 dies http://poetryarchivenz.wordpress.com Christmas annuals and First World War publications. She was one of the Comment on Kevin foremost Edwardian humorists and Lawson Mark Pirie on Jessie children’s writers in Britain pre-World War I. Pope’s ANZAC Her reputation extended to New Obituary: Cyril Childs Zealand. After her first New Zealand poems mention in the Colonist, 23 September 8 1903, she received mentions regularly Donate to PANZA through in New Zealand newspaper reviews and 9 PayPal advertisements of overseas publications for more than a decade. Along with her mentions in the Colonist, prominent Recently received Wellington writer/journalist A F T donations Chorlton’s Bookman column in The Evening Post noted her work. About the Poetry Archive During these years (1903-23), she was a Wellington poet/publisher Mark Pirie very popular Edwardian and Georgian discusses the English War Poet Jessie comic writer with New Zealanders Pope and her ANZAC poems recently (notably read by The Spike group of discovered in Papers Past, the National writers at Victoria College) and her PANZA Library of New Zealand’s digital verse and stories were widely published PO Box 6637 heritage collection. in New Zealand newspapers, including Marion Square The Evening Post, The New Zealand Wellington 6141 Free Lance, the Feilding Star and

...... Autumn 2012 Poverty Bay Herald. Our Edwardian academic and biographer Harry Ricketts Pope’s ‘pro-war poems’ like ‘Who’s for Suffragettes and Georgian women mentions her in Strange Meetings: The the Game?’ and ‘The Call’ are now writers would’ve read her, from Jessie Poets of the Great War (2010): ‘“Dulce often presented as counterpoints to the Mackay to Robin Hyde. et Decorum Est” was originally War Poets (Sassoon, Owen, etc) perhaps During World War I, Pope became the dedicated to the popular children’s detracting from her pre-World War I ‘war girl’ in verse and used for writer and author of patriotic verses, reputation. A new e-book biography recruitment purposes. However, she is Jessie Pope’. Ricketts then notes the (available on the internet) by W one of the few English war poets to intended irony in the dedication. A good Lawrance ‘demonstrates that this [pro- recognise ANZAC feats of bravery and article covering Pope and Owen’s war propagandist] reputation is not their ‘imperishable renown’ in poems ‘friendship’ and Owen’s drafts of entirely deserved’. Lawrance also such as ‘An Anzac Poem’, ‘Anzac’, and ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ is by W G includes Pope and her poems ‘Socks’, ‘Cobbers’. Kiwi soldiers enclosed some Bebbington in Ariel: A Review of ‘The Call’, ‘War Girls’, and ‘Who’s for of her poems in letters sent home in International English Literature, 3/4 the Game?’ in Great War Literature New Zealand soldiers’ parcels. Family (1972), 82–93. Study Guide on Female Poets of the members then sent the poems in to local I have not found further mentions of First World War (2005).There are now newspapers that republished them. She Pope in either the Oxford History of a number of internet articles, anthology achieved a reputation with her war verse New Zealand Literature in English (2nd inclusions, videos and listings available comparable to Tennyson’s ‘Charge of ed. 1998) or the Oxford Companion to for Pope. An entry for her by J. Dowson the Light Brigade’ in some parts of New New Zealand Literature (1998). There appears in The Encyclopedia of British Zealand. may be references to her in New Women’s Writing, 1900–1950, ed. F. Zealand soldiers’ accounts and Hammill, E. Miskimmin, and A. publications of the First World War that Sponenberg (2006). I have not looked into in detail. The There is an online entry on her by Jane Hocken Library in Dunedin has a Potter at the Oxford Dictionary of number of these war and soldier National Biography. publications and archival papers. I http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/dnb/ suspect New Zealanders’ views (and the 98109.html and at Wikipedia soldiers’ views) of Pope would’ve http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie_ changed over the years particularly in Pope She also appears in an interview light of the events at Gallipoli, although on YouTube along with filmed war she does retain a certain social segments or recitations for her poems Jessie Pope’s War Poems (London: Grant significance to New Zealand and predominantly for school groups. Pope Richards Ltd, 1915) Australia for her ANZAC poems. is included on the War Poetry site A search of the Australian Trove http://warpoetry.co.uk and in war books Pope’s ‘An Anzac Poem’ was recited by archive turns up well over 100 search and anthologies. Two of her war poems Shayle Gardiner, Director of results for Pope’s name, including appear in David Robert’s Minds at War Entertainments for NZEF, at the Albert numerous republications of her poems, (1996), one in Roberts’ Out in the Dark Hall ANZAC Concert, London, 6 May especially Pope’s ‘Anzac’ poem. One (1998) and one in the collection The 1920. newspaper [Northern Territory Times Return of the Soldier (2010) edited by Jessie Pope’s war poetry and reputation and Gazette, Darwin, 25 November West/Schweizer/Thorne. She also fell into obscurity after World War One 1915] prefaced it: ‘The following appears in Fiona Waters’ collection of when she became despised by returning [Anzac] poem recently appeared in an illustrated First World War poetry, A English soldiers and condemned for her English paper. Its reference to the Corner of a Foreign Field (2007). pro-war verses considered to be Australian soldiers at the Dardanelles Lindesay Irvine’s 2008 Guardian blog propaganda; however, her poetry and must be most gratifying to those whose article discusses Pope’s loss of role as a woman writer during the time relatives took part in that historic reputation and considers her ‘harder to of the Suffragettes is currently landing.’ Her war poems are included in despise than one might expect’. George undergoing reappraisal. There is also the Australian War Memorial indicating Simmer’s writes a blog article in similar reappraisal of her war reputation in her ongoing significance to Australian vein in ‘Poor Jessie Pope’ comparison with the First World War ANZAC memories. Her popularity in http://greatwarfiction.wordpress.com/20 male poets. Australia would’ve been comparable to 09/07/07/poor-old-jessie-pope/ War Wilfred Owen ironically directed his her status in New Zealand during the writer Tim Kendall responds to early draft of the poem ‘Dulce et First World War. Her war poems are not Simmer’s blog discussing Pope’s verse Decorum Est’ at Pope, then removed in New Zealand libraries, however, and quoting from Pope’s ‘War Girls’ at her name, addressed it ‘To a Certain which now show only holdings at the http://war- Poetess’ and finally referenced her in National Library of New Zealand for a poets.blogspot.co.nz/2010/11/jessie- the poem as a ‘friend’. In relation to selection of her children’s books. pope-war-girls.html By contrast Roger Owen’s poem, New Zealand poet, McGough includes her as a children’s

2 ...... Poetry Archive poet in a book of poems inspired by the Though you poured out the best of Scene: Midday, Victoria street, fives senses, Sensational! (2005). your blood. An Anzac (in blue) on each side— WorldCat lists 83 publications by Pope, A coo-ee, wild, ringing, and sweet— mostly juvenile works of literature, You left your snug homesteads “down The taxicabs swerve and divide. archival material and reprints of adult under”; For traffic they don’t care a toss, books such as London Characters The prosperous life of your land, There, right in the middle, they’re (1904), Paper Pellets (1907), Airy And staggered the Turks with your meeting; Nothings (1909), Jessie Pope’s War thunder, Stay, let’s draw a curtain across Poems (1915), More War Poems To give the Old Country a hand. Where the two long-lost “cobbers” are (1915), Simple Rhymes for Stirring For dare-devil work we may book you, greeting. Times (1916), Love – on Leave (1919), You’re ready and keen to get to it. and Hits and Misses (1920). If a job is impossible, look you, —Jessie Pope. Another connection to ANZAC soldiers The boys from “down under” will do is in Pope’s short fiction Love – on it. (“Poverty Bay Herald”, 16 February Leave, which contains a story about a 1916) love affair between a young —Jessie Pope, in the Daily Express, Englishwoman and an ANZAC soldier. London. The theme of love between ANZACs AN ANZAC CAP. and Englishwomen is similarly the (“Feilding Star”, 16 November 1915) subject of her poem ‘Coo-ee!’ It hangs on the wall, a trifle battered, Her later works moved away from the The wire is warped and the lining war theme and back into the field of “COBBERS.” tattered. children’s writing. Not much survives And the leather inside shows speakingly about her later life. She married a They were “cobbers,” that’s Anzac for how retired bank manager, Edward chum. It’s been wet with the sweat of a Babington Lenton on 11 May 1929 at But it means rather more than we soldier’s brow. age 61 and moved from London to mean— Great Yarmouth. Her death is given on A friendship that will not succumb, Month after month, through that fierce 14 December 1941 at Broom Hill Though distance or death intervene. campaign— House, Chagford, Devon. Her cremation Adventure, success, and mishap The bitterest fight that was fought in took place at Plymouth. In boyhood they’d shared, so no vain— Here are Jessie Pope’s ANZAC-related wonder It was jammed on an Anzac’s lean, poems from Papers Past: They jumped at the chance of a scrap brown poll, And booked with the crowd from As he pierced his way to a glimpse of ANZAC. ‘‘down under.” goal.

We know that you’re sportsmen, with In a narrow Gallipoli trench Furlong by furlong, aye, inch by inch, reason, They chanced upon glimpses of hell, From the sniping shot to the cold-steel, At footer and cricket you’re crack; And a thirst there was nothing to quench clinch— I haven’t forgotten the season But a deluging downpour of shell; Fists, “rough-housing,” any old tools— When we curled up before the “All Perpetual ridges they took, He got there each time by “Rafferty Blacks.” They charged and they cursed and they rules.” In the matter of wielding the “willow,” shouted, We own, to our cost, that you’re it, But nothing their recklessness shook Till a shell, with his name on, gave him The “ashes” you’ve borne o’er the Till one of the “cobbers” got “outed.” a call— billow— And that is the tale of the cap on the Though they’re home again now, for a The other one came back at night, wall, bit. Exhausted in body and brain, But the sequel, though strange, is an And groped round the scene of the fight, equally true one— There are weightier matters to settle But sought for his “cobber” in vain. Its owner, thank God, is now wearing a To-day, amid bullets and shells; His spirit was heavy with grief, new one. And the world stands amazed at the His outlook was sombre and blotted, mettle But his bayonet brought him relief —Jessie Pope. You’ve shown in the far Dardanelles. Next, morning— and that’s when he The marvellous feat of your landing “got it.” (“Poverty Bay Herald”, 7 March 1916) Your exploits by field and by deed, Your charges that brooked no withstanding, ...... 3 Autumn 2012 COO-EE! [AN ANZAC POEM.] Esma North and “Down under” boys on furlough are in Why do we cheer those brown-faced Marjory Lydia Nicholls town boys with pride, Discharged from hospital, repaired and Why do dense crowds press round on braced, every side, Dr Michael O’Leary comments further Their faces still retain, their native Why do we throw them flowers, our (from his PhD thesis on New Zealand brown, hearts aglow? women’s writing) on Marjory Lydia Their millinery captivates our taste. Well—turn a minute to three years ago. Nicholls previously featured in Poetry They’ve proved themselves a terror to Notes (Vol. 1, Issue 4, Summer 2011) the Turk, A moonlit beach—a cliff of scrub and and Esma North. Of cut and thrust they bear full many a bush— token, The creeping, crowded boats—a Both Esma North, born in 1892, and But though they’ve been through grim, breathless hush—, Marjory Nicholls, born in 1890, heartbreaking work, A cranch of keels —a leap, a shallow attended Wellington Girls’ College, The Anzac spirit never can be broken. splash— where Nicholls edited the school And then Inferno, thunder, blaze and magazine, and was regarded as one of Their talk is picturesque, their manner crash. the best known and best loved girls of frank, the school. Both women became A little hasty, what they think— they “Straight as a bayonet”—riddled where teachers and in North’s case she became say— they fell; principal of Wellington Girls College. They’ve got a down on arrogance and Hacking the wire, across that strip of At Victoria University College Nicholls swank, Hell; was the first woman to win the Plunket Passive submission doesn’t come their Those untried heroes—husky and Medal for oratory, produced two Drama way. blood-drenched— Society plays and was active in various Risk and adventure are their fondest Hurled back the Turkish outposts —and other groups, although she did not joys, entrenched! complete a degree. If there’s a fight around, well, they’ll Nicholls went overseas and in England be in it— The thing that was impossible was studied stage production with Edith To tell the truth, they really are “some” done! (Edy) Craig who lived in a lesbian boys— From the beginning thus have Britons ménage a trois with Christopher St John You get quite friendly with them in a won. and Claire (Tony) Atwood. Craig minute. So, year by year, in words of fire and founded the Barn Theatre at Smallhythe gold, which attracted a lesbian circle, Quite friendly, yes, no harm in being The Anzacs’ glorious landing shall be including Radclyffe Hall, Una friends, told. Troubridge, Vita Sackville-West, They must not find their furlough dull Winaretta (Singer) de Polignac, Ethel and tame, —Jessie Pope (quoted in an article Smyth and other lesbian suffragists But, girls, see to it there the matter ends, ‘Imperishable Renown’ in the “Thames which connects Nicholls to a prominent And show that London girls can play Star”, 24 April 1918) British lesbian network (Laurie, 2003). the game, Back in New Zealand Nicholls studied While of good comradeship you take Photo of Jessie Pope by La Fayette, painting with Dorothy Kate Richmond. your fill 1929 She lived in her own flat in Sydney Don’t use your power to make their Street, Wellington, and was a close hearts your plunder, Mark Pirie is a New Zealand poet, friend of poet Eileen Duggan who, But let them pause, and hear when editor, publisher and archivist for despite being deeply religious, may also nights are still PANZA. In 2012, he published booklets have had lesbian relationships. Nicholls The other girl who coo-ees from on poet Ivy Gibbs (a bio-bibliography), published three volumes of poetry: A “down under.” the War Poet Jessie Pope, Romance Venture in Verse (1917), Gathered writer Eva Burfield, and a monograph Leaves (1922) and Thirdly (1929) and —Jessie Pope. study of Victoria University College’s was well known in amateur theatre. She Spike group who produced the was run over at a bus stop in October (“The Observer”, 29 September 1917) anthology The Old Clay Patch that ran 1930, dying at the age of 40 years. into several editions between 1910 and These two stanzas are from her poem ‘A 1949. Would-be Wanderer’:

4 ...... Poetry Archive Rest at an inn (if it come my way) something of the following famous line: have so bedevilled the man-woman For I’ll walk any road I please, ‘I am the Love that dare not speak its situation that only the most arrant Chanting verse from Euripides, name’. Lord Alfred Douglas coined the sentimentalist is likely to be Or Villon’s ballads of yesterday. phrase in his poem to Wilde, Two Loves applauded. Any writer who tries to (1896). Also the phrase ‘primrose path’ import a little common sense into that Or loll Bohemian-wise and dream refers to those who are dedicated to the situation is asking to be lynched by About Verlaine or Baudelaire – pursuit of pleasure, another Wildean the moustached Amazons of the A poet strange, with pea-green hair, echo. Wright throws another light on women’s journals and the millions Who supped, o’nights, from a skull of this aspect by discussing the poem, who abide by their word (Fairburn, cream ‘Lady Mine’, by Marjory Nicholls. He 1967: 22-23). (Nicholls, 1917: 1). suggests: Like many women writers of the period It has been suggested that this poem For instance in the poem ‘Lady Mine’ 1945-1970 women writing about lesbian indicates that Nicholls was familiar with the person addressed sounds real. The matters hid their thoughts and feelings. both classical and French writers on term Primrose-like and the account of The fact that women were writers at all homosexuality or other forms of ‘other’ a compassionate conservationalist was often seen in a disparaging and sexual behaviour and states her resolve read to me as a very definite reference condescending way by both male to live an independent life (Laurie, to Esma North (Wright, 2009: 8). writers and publishers. Add to that the 2003). Living in her own flat, studying ‘perversion’ of deviant sexual practices with famous lesbians, and traveling Wright mentions a poem by Nicholls and they must have feared a double round the world, Nicholls in her short called ‘Little Daughter’ which he rejection slip in the mail. No writers felt life walked the roads she pleased. claims: comfortable with this subject matter Esma North (her name was a mixture of until after this period, and for those who her first and second names, Esther and Clearly tells the story of a young did write on such topics the lesbianism Mary) published one volume of poetry, woman whose love affair has had a was either ignored, as in Mansfield’s Primroses for my Fair, in 1930. bitter outcome. By 1911 Marjory ‘Bliss’, or the work was not regarded as Throughout the book there are what are Nicholls was 20 years old ... don’t rule significant, as in North’s poems. nowadays called markers, hints at things anything out (Wright, 2009: 13). Thus, while there is not much evidence that may be a sub-text to any given of lesbian writing available during the book or philosophy. In this case it has So whether Nicholls and North were period of this study there is a likelihood been suggested that much of North’s lesbian lovers as young women in either that women writers who were ‘lesbian’ work contained references to lesbian or a strict or open definition of the term did not want to openly express their ‘other’ forms of relationships between cannot be ruled out. While there is no sexual and emotional preference for fear women. Indeed, Wright notes of the definitive biographical evidence the of being ridiculed and ostracised by poem ‘Human Comfort’ that: speculation is valid given the those in the literary scene and in society ‘Nowadays it would be read as a lesbian circumstantial and literary evidence. as a whole. poem’ (Wright, 1998: 13). That both Nicholls and North were seen Further indications of North’s possibly as being of the much vilified ‘Georgian Postscript lesbian interest can be found in some School’ by the writers and publishers It is interesting to note that Effie Pollen other poems. Two seem to be obvious whose views took precedence in the late is buried about 200 yards from the poet echoes of Irish poet Oscar Wilde’s 1930s has meant that their obscurity in Marjory Nicholls in Wellington’s relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas. the New Zealand literary canon since Karori Cemetery. One poem is called ‘De Profundis’, the that time was assured; that they were Poet Ursula Bethell died at Christchurch title of a famous work by Wilde. also women added to their being in 1945, she is an example of the often Another Wildean echo can be found in marginalised. The main reason that the ambiguous nature of some women’s North’s poem, ‘Hush! Beloved’, in majority of the women I have written on lives, and her oft presumed ‘lesbian’ which each stanza there is a variation of lesbian writers fall outside my time lifestyle had an influence on later the last three lines: frame, 1945 to 1970, is because that it generations of writers. Having lived in was only women writing on either side England during WW1 Bethell returned I’ll speak, my sweet, of the years mentioned who wrote with home to Christchurch and built a house In whispers low. I would not have any openness about their lives in the in Cashmere, ‘Rose Cottage’, where she them hear sexual sense. This is quite lived for 10 years with Effie Pollen, a The words I breathe for my lover’s ear understandable when we observe some younger woman who came from (North, 1930:7). of the male attitudes prevalent at the Wellington to be with her. At the age of time, manifested by Fairburn who wrote 50 Bethell began writing poetry. While While it is true that the person North feminists: Bethell mentored poets and artists of the addresses is not acknowledged as a man time, Pollen kept the house in what was or a woman, there is, perhaps, an almost ‘traditional’ marriage

...... 5 Autumn 2012 situation, although visitors commented LIGHT AND SHADE that each woman had her own room. Classic New Zealand After Pollen died suddenly in 1934 poetry The beauty of the landscape Bethell was devastated, writing a Is made of light and shade ‘Memorial’ poem to her every year for The shadows show the clearer the next six years on or around the This issue’s classic New Zealand The brighter tints arrayed. anniversary. These poems of grief to her poetry is by M A J (Mary Anne have become an intimate and lasting Josephine) Wall (1868-1918), an Otago The silv’ry clouds look brighter gesture of love to the woman she shared poet. By contrast with the grey, her life with. There is no formal Rowan Gibbs recently produced a bio- The sunshine seems the gayer acknowledgement of any specific bibliography for her that includes a Upon a rainy day. ‘lesbian’ relationship between the two selection of her poems. women and perhaps her Christian Educated at Waitahuna, Wall became a The shadows ’mong the petals beliefs meant that she could possibly teacher and later mistress at Waihola, Of flow’rs of ev’ry hue never acknowledge this even to herself. Otago. Her poems appeared in the Enhance their grace and beauty Otago Witness newspaper, covering a And show their brightness true. Bibliography range of subjects, including landscapes, the beauty of the natural world i.e. its Our pleasures seem the sweeter Lady-husbands and Kamp Ladies: Pre- flora and fauna, and the Boer War. For sorrows felt between, — 1970 Lesbian Life in Aotearoa/New In 1898, Wall returned to teach at The brightness and the shadows Zealand: A Thesis Submitted to the Waitahuna, then married in 1906, Must both alike be seen. Victoria University of Wellington in moved to Hawera, Taranaki, and later Fulfilment of the Requirements for returned to Dunedin. Lake View, Waihola The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Wall also wrote short stories and (Otago Witness, 2 November 1893) in Women’s Studies by Alison J. articles for the Otago Witness. Laurie, 2003. She died in 1918 at the age of 50. Nicholls, Marjory Lydia. A Venture in THE OLD GOLDFIELD Verse (Auckland: Whitcombe & Poems by M A J Wall Tombs Ltd, 1917). Mound upon tow’ring mound of cold North, Esma. Primroses for my Fair SUNSET ON THE LAKE grey stones (Wellington: Harry H Tombs Ltd, Lake unto cairns with Stygian pools 1930). ’Tis sunset hour, and the lake is between, Fairburn, A.R.D. The Woman Problem gleaming In whose black depths reflects the & Other Prose (Auckland: With amber and golden light, gorse’s green, Blackwood & Janet Paul Ltd, 1967). And the wavelets dance ’neath the To unfamiliar eyes a sameness owns, Wright, F. W. Nielsen. An Account of dying rays, To practised ones, each mound a charm the Poet Esma North: An Essay. And murmur in calm delight. enthrones— (Wellington: Cultural and Political A rich warm glow is purpling the A landmark each, that gold’s alluring Booklets, 1998). mountains sheen —Notes on Marjory Lydia Nicholls That encircle the waters round, Caused to be raised Earth’s treasure- Complete Poems (Wellington: And the western sky of rose and gold trove to glean Original Books, 2009). Shades out to a blue profound. From richest shafts naught now but pool-set cones. Michael O’Leary is a Paekakariki- Evening is slowly beginning to throw based bookseller, writer and performer Her shadowy, twilight veil Spread o’er the world is now that who recently completed a PhD on NZ Over the crest of the mountains high goldfield band, women’s writing from 1945-1970 at That tower o’er each bush-clad dale; Men of all nations and of diverse ways Victoria University of Wellington’s And white sailed boats in swan-like (Or cared they much for either blame or Women Studies Department. Michael is motion praise), also the co-founder of PANZA. Glide over the glist’ning lake, Who fought with Nature and defaced While softest music with twofold echo the land, Floats forth the evening calm to break. Toil’s recompense to win in golden sand, Lake View, Waihola, December 1 And left these monuments of early days. (Otago Witness, 10 December 1891) Waitahuna, February 1906 (Otago Witness, 28 February 1906)

6 ...... Poetry Archive THE NEW ZEALAND REST of Writing 1984-2004, edited by Mark SOLDIER’S GRAVE Pirie and Michael O’Leary (2004). There is rest A full obituary for Ken by Jan Pilditch, On the burning veldt, where the battle For the weary an Associate Professor in English at the raged In the ev’ning sky, University of Waikato, noting his With a fierce and awful power, When the clouds academic work appears in a special And the shot and shell thro’ the tropic Are soft tinted issue of Journal of New Zealand air As the sunbeams die. Literature 29:2 (2011). Was sent in a murd’rous show’r, PANZA offers their condolences to Where the voices of Death and Victory In the calm Ken’s friends and family. Ken made an Were heard thro’ the conflict’s roar, Of twilight hour important contribution to New Zealand He fell, with the war-cry echoing, There is rest profound literature. Far, far from the native shore. For the tired And the weary With the Maori cry for his weird In the silence round. Comment on Kevin password, And the flag of freedom on high, There is rest Lawson He marched with his gallant company In sweet music To vanquish the foe – or die. Pervading the night, And he gave his life for the freedom In the sounds The New Zealand poet, writer, educator That Britons should ever prize, Soft and gentle and principal of Crawshaw School, For ’tis bought with the blood of a Of restful delight. Kevin Lawson died 26 June 2011. nation’s heart, Lawson wrote the children’s gold- And the weeping of weary eyes. In the sweet mining history text, Gold, for School And solemn strains Publications, Wellington, in 1968. He In the kopje’s shade, in his soldier’s Of the ev’ning hymn was a contributor to Glenco grave, There is sweet publications and Arena magazine in the In his last, deep, silent rest, And holy rest early 1960s. Paekakariki writer David He dreams not now of the burning tears ’Mong the shadows dim. McGill recently wrote the following Of the sorrowing ones he blest, tribute to Kevin: In his own fair land where the fern trees Lake View, Waihola wave, (Otago Witness, 7 December 1893) They build a world O’er falls by the sunbeams kiss’d, Out of collected years; Where the bell-bird answers the tui’s (Poems taken M A J (Mary Anne They shelter in rooms the dust song, Josephine) Wall: A Bio-bibliography, That will be their death. That on Afric’s sands he miss’d. with a selection of M A J Wall’s poems – Kevin Lawson ‘The Tennants’ by Rowan Gibbs (Wellington: Cultural (sic) from Miscellany published by But the soft, sighing winds of karoo and and Political Booklets, 2012)) the Glenco 1961; Editor David veldt McGill, who pleaded with Kevin to Shall caress the rude grave where he contribute, and he did, two poems. lies, Noted poet David Mitchell also contributed, And the tropical rainclouds, in pitying including: love, K O Arvidson dies I walk silent, silent Give their tribute of tears from the skies By the brooding lake But a shadow shall dim to the mourning Watching the moon. ones PANZA acknowledges the recent death The beauties of many a scene, of noted poet and academic Ken Kevin Lawson contacted me some years And the teardrops oft fall for their Arvidson (1938-2011). ago asking for I think David Mitchell’s soldier lad, Arvidson’s only published collection address. I suggested we get together and Who died for the Empire and Queen. was Riding the Pendulum: Poems 1961- he said no, blunt as always. Did he 1969 (1973). Several of Arvidson’s enjoy being Sphinx-like, mysterious? Waitahuna, November 1900 poems from this book have been widely Did it give him a sardonic satisfaction (Otago Witness, 21 November 1900) anthologised in historical anthologies of still, as he had been wont to do all those New Zealand poetry since the 1970s. years ago in Paekakariki, reducing the In recent years he contributed to Sport naïve McGill. You always seemed on and JAAM and was anthologised in equal and different terms with him. I JAAM 21: Greatest Hits: An Anthology never did fathom him. Mind you, he is not alone. I think he knew I knew that, ...... 7 Autumn 2012 which was only cause for further but said it was best if I didn’t see Rosie edited the Christchurch haiku and amusement for a man who had a curious Vogt, whom he lives with in Lower haibun collection, Listening to the Rain sense of humour. He had too a certain Hutt. She is not well. Then she looked (2002), and contributed to The Taste of dignity, certain standards, implacably like a young Sophia Loren. The Nashi: New Zealand Haiku (2008). so, like Mitch. Both were part of the mechanic she returned to from me died Fellow poet and friend Sandra Simpson singular mix of that amazing place, in a car crash. wrote in tribute of Cyril: ‘Thanks to his Teacher’s College Kelburn, Kowhai efforts in editing and publishing the first Road, The Glen, Ngaio Road. And later in a street and second New Zealand Haiku I have been back there in different Waiting for a tram Anthologies … the haiku community in phases, with several lady friends I wondered what you felt this country not only began to coalesce, disporting at the Glen, always thinking While we talked of but to flourish to the point where several of those days of wine and musings. I The sun climbing Kiwi writers – Cyril included – are went back to look at the foliage that has Back into the sea. recognised internationally.’ overcome the prefabs where Keith Fox – Kevin Lawson, RIP. He also wrote in other poetic forms like and George Webby presided, where I free verse. His poetry appeared widely smoked alongside Anton Vogt and David McGill in international magazines and Merlene Cutten at the Literary Club, anthologies such as contemporary waiting for James K Baxter to come and Obituaries for Kevin Lawson appeared haibun online, Modern Haiku, talk with the tongue of angels. in the Waikato Times and Southland Frogpond and Wind Over Water: an Miscellany is dedicated to Anton (to my Times, 29-30 June 2011. anthology of haiku and tanka and in father’s horror – the man practises free New Zealand journals, including Poetry love, Dad exclaimed). Merlene did the NZ, JAAM, Kokako, CommonTatta and cover of Miscellany and contributed a Obituary: Cyril Childs Bravado. His book reviews appeared in poem. I recently sought contact with her JAAM, New Zealand Books and on the through Gill’s contacts with Paul Young NZ Poetry Society website. and Barry Lett (she visits a sick Paul in In 2000, Childs self-published the Thames frequently, they write poems autobiographical collection, Paper still). Another in the Miscellany Lanterns: A Journey with Cancer, collection is Garth C. Carpenter (what’s detailing his (and his first wife the ‘C’ for? – I should have asked him Vivienne’s) experiences in prose, free when he asked if he could be the verse and haiku. Vivienne died from the astrology columnist for a magazine I disease in 1997. edited in the ’80s). Other contributors: Childs had a keen interest in sports such Pat Craddock, who ended up a producer as rugby and cricket and in 2010 of radio programmes for Radio NZ; appeared in the cricket poetry anthology George Webby, retired in Wairarapa; A Tingling Catch: A Century of New Peter Browne, where is he?; Ngaire Zealand Cricket Poems 1864-2009. An Atkinson, an austere intellectual, I must article on Childs’ cricket haiku appears ask of her from Maureen Birchfield, in on Mark Pirie’s Tingling Catch blog. Paekakariki, and a friend of Gill Ward; Cyril Childs (1941-2012), a cricketer, Childs also contributed a Second World Kevin B. Davies, the phys-ed chap with scientist, leading haiku poet and editor War cricket poem by Jack Gallichan a sensitive streak; Howard P; David of national haiku anthologies died (brother of New Zealand cricketer Norm Mundell – two poems; Mark Young; recently aged 70. Childs had an Gallichan) to the weblog. somebody called J.Williams (Judy?); international reputation in the haiku Childs, himself a promising cricketer, Caroline Hancock, dead; last, Peter J R field. played as a right-hand batsman and leg Blizard. His influence and encouragement of break bowler for Otago Under 20s in We might get out when Roger Boshier other haiku poets in New Zealand was 1960/61 in the Brabin Tournament and arrives, the rare surviving copy of the considerable and, in Bravado 3 in 1961/62 in the Rothman’s U23 few hundred Miscellany printed by John (November 2004), Childs wrote an tournament as well as representing Milne at a cost of 30 pounds – I raised article offering a new definition of the Southland against Fiji at Queen’s Park, the money by selling them around form and exploring the development of Invercargill, that same season. Childs Teacher’s College and in Cuba Street. haiku and its evolution. was also a Double Blue at the Milne Printers is still going. I used them In 1993, he edited the New Zealand University of Otago (rugby/cricket). with Grant Tilly for a publication Haiku Anthology for the NZ Poetry Childs’ numerous science publications Harbourscapes. Society and in 1998 brought out its since the 1970s concerned New Zealand Roland Vogt came with Maureen sequel, The Second New Zealand Haiku soil mineralogy for the Department of Birchfield and Gill Ward to the 2010 Anthology, again for the NZ Poetry Scientific and Industrial Research in launch of Shaking 1960 at Eastbourne, Society. With Joanna Preston, he co- Wellington as well as other work on

8 ...... Poetry Archive thermodynamics, palaeobotany and PANZA kindly thanks these donators to • The Northland Writers’ Walk (in palaeoecology. the archive. planning) Childs was living in Port Chalmers near Dunedin at the time of his death. You can assist the preservation of NZ He is survived by his son Norris, his About the Poetry poetry by becoming one of the daughter Lia and his second wife Friends of the Poetry Archive of New Christine. Archive Zealand Aotearoa (PANZA ). PANZA offers their condolences to If you’d like to become a friend or Cyril’s friends and family at this time. business sponsor of PANZA, please Poetry Archive of New Zealand contact us. Aotearoa (PANZA) Donate to PANZA Contact Details PANZA contains Poetry Archive of NZ Aotearoa through PayPal (PANZA) A unique Archive of NZ published 1 Woburn Road, Northland, Wellington poetry, with around five thousand titles PO Box 6637, Marion Square, You can now become a friend of from the 19th century to the present Wellington PANZA or donate cash to help us day. Dr Niel Wright - Archivist continue our work by going to The Archive also contains photos and (04) 475 8042 http://pukapukabooks.blogspot.com and paintings of NZ poets, publisher’s Dr Michael O’Leary - Archivist accessing the donate button – any catalogues, poetry ephemera, posters, (04) 905 7978 donation will be acknowledged. reproductions of book covers and other email: [email protected] memorabilia related to NZ poetry and poetry performance. Visits by appointment only Recently received Wanted Current PANZA Members: donations NZ poetry books (old & new) Mark Pirie (HeadworX), Roger Steele Other NZ poetry items i.e. critical books (Steele Roberts Ltd), Michael O’Leary on NZ poetry, anthologies of NZ poetry, (Earl of Seacliff Art Workshop) and Peter Andrews – Lines for Lilburn by poetry periodicals and broadsheets, Niel Wright (Original Books). Brian Gregory (broadsheet poem). poetry event programmes, posters and/or prints of NZ poets or their poetry Current Friends of PANZA: Paul Rowan Gibbs – MAJ (Mary Anne books. Thompson, Gerrard O’Leary, Vaughan Josephine) Wall: A Bio-bibliography by Rapatahana and the New Zealand Rowan Gibbs; “A Bird of Our Clime”: DONT THROW OUT OLD NZ Poetry Society. Marie R Randle: Otago’s Songstress: POETRY! SEND IT TO PANZA A Bio-bibliography by Rowan Gibbs; PANZA is a registered charitable trust Minor British Poets 1789-1918 PANZA will offer: [Bibliography] University of California, • Copies of NZ poetry books for private Davis 1983; and Late Victorian Poetry research and reading purposes. 1880-1899: An annotated bio- • Historical information for poets, bibliography [1994] by Catherine writers, journalists, academics, W Reilly. researchers and independent scholars of NZ poetry. Kilmog Press – Starch and Pasture • Photocopying for private research literary journals. purposes. • Books on NZ poetry and literary Robin Fry – 200 titles. history, and CD-ROMs of NZ poetry and literature Roger Steele – Moon Over the Pacific: • CDs of NZ poets reading their work A Poet’s Travel Diary by Kay Flavell. • Inspirational talks on NZ poets • Video/DVD/film screenings of Peter Olds – Journey to the Far South documentaries on NZ poets and Other Poems by Peter Olds. • Readings/book launches by NZ poets • Educational visits for primary schools, Vaughan Rapatahana – Home, Away, intermediates, colleges, universities and Elsewhere by Vaughan Rapatahana. creative writing schools/classes.

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