. . . Poetry Notes

Spring 2017 Volume 8, Issue 3

ISSN 1179-7681 Quarterly Newsletter of PANZA

1972, including an anthology of Science Inside this Issue Welcome Fiction for schools, grammar and poetry teaching books, and a jubilee book on Mt Hello and welcome to issue 31 of Albert Grammar School in Auckland, Welcome Poetry Notes, the newsletter of PANZA, where he was formerly their Head of 1 the newly formed Poetry Archive of English, holding an MA. J G Brown: An Account Aotearoa. Looking at his listings, J G Brown filled Poetry Notes will be published quarterly a similar position in New Zealand Classic New Zealand and will include information about literature to the late anthologists Harvey 2 poetry by Bessie L goings on at the Archive, articles on McQueen and Bernard Gadd who edited Heighton historical New Zealand poets of interest, school anthologies starting from 1974 occasional poems by invited poets and a and 1977 respectively. Brown worked record of recently received donations to Comment on Titirangi with Blackwood & Janet Paul and Poets the Archive. Longmans London 1958 to 1966. 3 Articles and poems are copyright in the Rowan Gibbs, fellow researcher for names of the individual authors. Launch report: Karl PANZA, knows of Brown, and sent me a Wolfskehl letters The newsletter will be available for free copy of his Science Fiction anthology, download from the Poetry Archive’s From Frankenstein to Andromeda, 1966. Poetry by Damian Ruth website: There appears to be no poetry in it, and it includes well known Science Fiction 4 http://poetryarchivenz.wordpress.com from Mary Shelley to Arthur C Clarke, New publications by so is not especially of interest to New 5 PANZA member Zealand literary history. J G Brown Although most coverage of New Zealand Donate to PANZA through anthologies is given to national poetry PayPal anthologists like and 6 PANZA archivist Mark Pirie discusses Vincent O’Sullivan publishing with Recently received the 1970 school anthology, Pacific and Penguin and Oxford respectively, school donations Other Verse, edited by J G Brown. anthologies do hold a place in our poetry

history and turn up some interesting J G BROWN: AN ACCOUNT by poets/poems otherwise missed, or rare About the Poetry Archive Mark Pirie printings of early poems by our later well known poets (as children). Helen M. At the Tawa Book Fair 2017, I came Hogan’s 1970s school anthologies for across an old school poetry anthology, Whitcoulls are other examples. Pacific and Other Verse, edited by “J G Brown’s anthologies are no exception to Brown” for Longman Paul in 1970. I had this, and at one stage a selection from not come across his name before in our Brown’s “Verse for you” (of which there PANZA literary history but he has substantial were Three Books) was given an audio 1 Woburn Road holdings in the National Library of New presentation on vinyl by Kiwi Records, Northland Zealand. A check of the library catalogue 1964. (Kiwi is also the subject of a 2017 Wellington 6012 brings up over a dozen items by J G monograph published by Steele Roberts.) (James Goldie) Brown between 1958 and

...... Spring 2017 Pacific and Other Verse (1970) seems to THE NOR’-WESTER be the more interesting of Brown’s Classic New Zealand school anthologies, including work by poetry Over the snowy hills I fly, down to the Canadian, UK, Australasian, Pacific and long, white street, Papuan school pupils and is aimed at Leaping round o’er its dusty curves, junior school level (ages 9 to 13). In This issue’s classic New Zealand poetry joyous and young and fleet, addition to these offerings by school is by Bessie L (Langley) Heighton Tossing the trees till in crimson rain the children, it includes work from Canada, (1884?-1959). leaves come whirling down, UK, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Heighton was a live wire of the Star Madly over the fields of corn I dash till US, and Australia (Aboriginal and group of poets in 1922-26. I reach the town. European) by established or famous She contributed verses to the Ellesmere Banners of dust-like mist I raise, and names as well as a good selection or Guardian 1921-22, the Star, NZ bear before my way! comingling of New Zealand poets (Peter Railways Magazine and The Wooden Never a bairn but shall lose its hat Bland, James K Baxter, Charles Doyle, Horse. She published a book Poetical beneath my wand today! Eileen Duggan, Allen Curnow, ARD Posies (1946) and is included in the City and country, hill and vale, yes, Fairburn, Ruth Dallas, , anthology Eight Quills (1950). even the sapphire sea, , , Patricia Her papers were deposited with the Will, one and all, ere twilight comes, Godsiff, Hone Tuwhare, Gloria Alexander Turnbull Library in have tribute paid to me. Rawlinson, etc). The Johnson poem, Wellington. ‘Walking’, could be rare. (The Star, 14 April 1923) A school pupil of interest is Ngahuia Poems by Bessie L Heighton Gordon (age 16) who contributes a contemporary free verse take on the SUNRISE ANZAC FLOWERS legend of Hinemoa and Tutanekai. There is also a contribution by Katarina Crimson and gold in the eastern sky, Lilies for a maiden’s breast, Mataira (both in English and Māori), Flooding the world with a glory bright, Roses for the gentle bride; translations from the Māori by Barry Sunrise is waking the bird on high, Azure stars,―forget-me-nots, Mitcalfe, and an anonymous poem on Te Sunrise is chasing the skirts of night. For our loved ones sundered wide. Kooti in English, so Brown clearly has interest in Polynesian voices and culture. Wonderful hour when a ruby flame Poppies for the mighty dead, I print this brief account of J G Brown’s Circles the earth with a dazzling sea! May they ever redly glow, activities because he seems to be an Tender and low through the daybreak’s Emblem of the hero blood, important introduction to the types of frame, Which o’er Flanders Fields did flow. poetry our future poets would have been Bird trills are whispering their love to reading at intermediate/secondary school me. (The Star, 3 May 1924) in the 1960s and early 1970s. Although much of the poetry presented here is (The Star, 23 August 1924) traditional Victorian, Romantic and THE OLD ROCKER Georgian forms and would have dated quickly after the arrival of the New WILLOW SONG I see the old, red rocker, American Poetry of the 1960s/1970s, the Where very long ago depth and breadth of his poetry coverage The willow tree is singing to the stream; My mother used to rock me would have been ground-breaking in I heard it from my window all the Within the firelight glow, intermediate/secondary schools in New night; And from the past comes stealing Zealand at the time and worthy of some It sang of something misty as a dream, The well-remembered strain, notice in our literary histories. I found no A secret dewy sweet, and rainbow She sang to me each evening, mention of Brown both in the Oxford bright. A tender, sweet refrain. Companion to New Zealand Literature (1998) and the Oxford History of New No human ear will know the whole Within that old red rocker, nd Zealand Literature in English (2 ed. refrain; Each eve I sit and sing. 1998). He certainly endeavours to pick Its secret draws from realms by us The same old song to bairnies up Pacific/Polynesian voices in English unpressed; Against me murmuring and is a precursor to future anthologists And yet each night I wait to hear again, In infant croons the chorus like McQueen, Gadd, Wendt and The song which leaves its sweetest I crooned so long ago: Sullivan. part unguessed. When mother used to rock me Within the firelight glow. (The Star, 1 November 1924) (The Star, 24 November 1923)

2 ...... Poetry Archive Richard von Sturmer and Michael Comment on Morrissey all sparkle. Launch report: Titirangi Poets I have not read the entire set of Titirangi Karl Wolfskehl Letters Poets so I don’t know how

representative Riddell’s anthology is, COMMENT ON FORTY YEARS OF whether it is a “best of” going for TITIRANGI POETS by Mark Pirie NEW ZEALAND OWNS KARL “names” only, or whether it is a WOLFSKEHL by Niel Wright generous sampling of all the poets Titirangi Poets celebrates forty years in involved. Whatever the editing the form of an anthology of poetry Karl Wolfskehl is the German author, methodology is, it does attract prestige edited by long term member and the New Zealand author and the Jewish and notice to the group overall. founder, the celebrated poet Ron author whose life and personality I checked both the Oxford Companion Riddell. I have been aware of the encapsulate the complexities of those to New Zealand Literature (1998) and Titirangi Poets anthologies for more nations and cultures. These complexities the Oxford History of New Zealand than 20 years and first read them at the are obviously hard to address, but that is Literature in English (2nd ed. 1998) but Wellington Public Library in the 1990s. a task for the future. found no mention for the Titirangi Poets PANZA holds volumes 4, 7 and 9 of The catalogue of the National Library of group. Based on the evidence of Titirangi Poets, so has some New Zealand lists 39 items under the Riddell’s anthology, however, this is representation. Niel Wright, the name Wolfskehl, including books another yawning gap in our literary PANZA co-founder and literary scholar, written and published in New Zealand. histories, and there are obviously more says he has written on Titirangi Poets. But see the extensive holdings of other as evidenced by PANZA’s Poetry Notes The National Library of New Zealand New Zealand libraries under Wolfskehl, newsletter, now into its 31st issue. catalogue lists more than 20 items by whose bibliography already covers 120 This is not a review, so I have not gone the Titirangi Poets. I don’t know years of published literary work since in to detail about the poetry inside these offhand how many literary groups 1896. pages but this will serve as a comment outside of the New Zealand Poetry The Poetry Archive of New Zealand on the importance of Riddell’s work Society or the New Zealand Women Aotearoa has an informative file of here in terms of filling a gap in our Writer’s Society have lasted forty years miscellaneous Wolfskehl material, literary history. Riddell states that Piers or more in New Zealand. I suspect including an earlier draft of Wattie’s Davies now co-organises the Titirangi Titirangi Poets is one of the longest translation of the Letters and a Poets with Amanda Eason, and it is still running literary groups in the country’s photocopy of the Wolfskehl a force on the Auckland scene with history co-ordinated initially by Ron bibliography. newer poets emerging like Anita Arlov, Riddell the founder of the group (in On 13th October 2017 at the office of Aaron Croawell, Caroline Masters and 1977) with Mari Hunt taking over as the Goethe Institut Wellington a large Sam Sampson in the past decade. Gus co-ordinator of meetings from mid 1978 crowd attended the launch of the latest Simonovic has again provided a nice on, when Riddell was overseas for a New Zealand publication for Wolfskehl. production under his Printable Reality couple of years. This was Poetry and Exile: Letters from imprint. The cover features an iconic One contributor to this anthology: the New Zealand 1938-1948 edited and tui, New Zealand’s own nightingale, a publisher, poet, and novelist Dr Michael translated by Nelson Wattie, a labour symbol of the poet’s voice. O’Leary started his Earl of Seacliff Art Wattie has been committed to for 50

Workshop publishing house in years. Auckland in the 1980s, so his ESAW The 1988 full collection of Wolfskehl’s list of authors and publications runs Briefwechsel aus Neuseeland 2 volumes parallel in some ways to the long is available in German, but now the running Titirangi Poets, both in terms of Cold Hub Press publication running to the range and ages of contributors 420 pages gives an English text for a included in Ron Riddell’s well honed very substantial number of the Letters anthology. plus useful annotation. The publisher Besides the number of years recorded in Roger Hickin was at the launch. this volume, the contributions are of The launch was well managed by the high quality and lasting resonance. Goethe Institut New Zealand Director Riddell’s anthology reads like a Who’s Christian Kahnt, with catering by the Who of Auckland poetry in the past 40 family of Nelson Wattie’s partner, years. Alistair Paterson, Peter Bland, Marilyn Duckworth. The launch lasted Riemke Ensing, Stu Bagby, Will 2 hours (5-7 pm) with Steven Sedley in the chair. The two leading New Zealand Leadbeater, Iain Sharp, Bob Orr, Kevin Ireland, Denys Trussell, Janet Charman, based Wolfskehl scholars are Nelson Wattie who has given much of his life

...... 3 Spring 2017 to Wolfskehl studies since he was a GALWAY BAY student 55 years ago and first started working on the letters exactly 50 years It grows on you, this slow coast ago (beginning in 1967, when his with subtle light that slides mentor Paul Hoffmann agreed that it off walls into seas that nudge would be a suitable project for him) it back through kelp and rock. and Friedrich Voit who has done the same for his 40 years as an academic in There’s no brilliance to blind, New Zealand. Both discussed no simple lines that divide Wolfskehl and the Letters from New bright yellow sand from azure sea Zealand, and each read 4 letters, Wattie or sky from purple mountain. in English translation, Voit in the German. This stretch of Connaught coast Voit described the style of the letters as tucked into a bay has a way spoken rather than written. Voit’s style of tugging at the heart until in reading German was noticeably it foregoes the other place. graceful and pleasant to hear. Questions and comments from the Here and there a wave of land audience definitely raised and elicited has surged into the sea and then the complexities of Wolfskehl’s literary when just about to break, stopped life. In Kiwi terms Wolfskehl is world Poetry by Damian to let the grass grow on its back. famous in New Zealand. He arrived in 1938 with European standing. His 10 Ruth These waves stare out to sea for years in New Zealand 1938-1948 saw generations, him produce in volume in the grey stones dribbling down their faces Parnassian style of the George Circle This issue we feature some poems by from shaggy green forelocks tugged 1890-1930 his most significant poetry, Wellington poet Damian Ruth from his by gales begun in far-off places. all of which subsequent to his death was book On Edge (published by taken back to Germany by his HeadworX, November 2017). companion and secretary Margot WAINUI STREAM MOUTH, Ruben, where it was published as a AFRICAN TREES PAEKAKARIKI notable collection. In New Zealand Wolfskehl had a Framed in a car window, I visit Wainui’s mouth again notable presence 1938-1948, first three old women at Mentz and again, daily noting among a circle of German speaking are chopping down one of the drifting dribble seaward, friends, but also among New Zealand the last hardwoods left. and how mountain rain or literary people of the period, and currents running rip tides noticeably also among young people We drive another 20ks whip the restless tongue through who have since gone on to have an through Magoebaskloof where shifting sands. influential role in New Zealand gum and pine plantations intelligentsia even as late as 2017. roll over hills, with wave after There was once a shift, an arrest My own books on Wolfskehl aim to wave of tips tickling the sky. in my own drift around this island, document Wolfskehl’s reputation in the thought that I could come to say New Zealand since 1938. In particular There’s been a fire here, “My place” in 1999 I specifically urged Professor a bad one; plumes of smoke and stay to let this be where I came Voit to undertake a Neuseeland edition still rise from roots from. of Karl Wolfskehl's New Zealand work of stumps in hollow pots. and this he has now notably achieved An arrest when I, as one might say, with English translations, as well as On through Letsitele. ‘took a real interest’ general studies of Wolfskehl’s life in There’s been a fire here too. and noted that today the stream German. The game farms’ electric fences had mouthed and licked out Wolfskehl has been fortunate to be are bordered by black bands of ash. a completely different way endorsed and acknowledged so to the sea. emphatically in New Zealand as a poet The African trees that grow in layers, and personality. The Goethe Institut shuddering outwards, have grown mad. Poems © Damian Ruth deservedly is applauded for its Explosions of twisted broken fingers sponsorship of this latest publication. claw at the sky, framed in the car window.

4 ...... Poetry Archive in a small coastal village north of Anthology of Rugby Poetry (NZ Sports New publications by Wellington where he continues to Hall of Fame, 2013), Under Flagstaff: PANZA member celebrate and be intrigued by where he Dunedin Poetry (Otago University has been, where he is and where he Press, 2004) and The Dominion Post. might go. Title: On Edge “Mark Pirie has captured rugby’s moods Author: Damian Ruth and eras in this small book of his fine ISBN 978-0-473-40382-9 poetry; there’s barely a peep from a Price: $30.00 referee’s whistle as he flits from old to Extent: 134 pages new and back again; from some great Format: 140mmx211mm players to others, such as his Publication: November 2017 grandfather Tom Lawn, not himself a Publisher: HeadworX Publishers great player but a player of the type which made the game great. And if the About the Book astute reader picks up a flavour that could have been brewed in Wellington, On Edge is a collection of poems by a that’s all part of rugby’s charm, its respected Wellington poet, who has tribalism.” – Ron Palenski, from the been writing for many years. The poems Foreword are drawn from published material in highly regarded journals and from unpublished works. About the Author The book gives a marker of Damian Ruth’s distinctive poetic in the New Mark Pirie is an internationally Zealand literary landscape. These are published New Zealand poet, editor, resonant poems of travelling, of ******************************** writer and publisher He has published experience, of family, and of living by poetry on many sports, including the ocean, always bristling with Title: Sidelights: Rugby Poems cricket, football, rugby, tennis, surfing connections that stay on edge. Author: Mark Pirie and netball, and edited/published ISBN 978-0-473-40868-8 anthologies of New Zealand cricket and “At times expansive and lyrical, at Price: $20.00 football poems, A Tingling Catch and others epigrammatic, Damian Ruth’s Extent: 80 pages Boots. moving and diverse poems explore the Format: 108x174mm emotional violence of geography, Publication: November 2017 rejecting the smooth abstraction of the Publisher: HeadworX Publishers mapmakers for the visceral terrain of experience. These poems travel About the Book broadly—South Africa, Europe, New Zealand—and always with a concern for Sidelights features poems about the All things, for the reality of the edges and Blacks, Super and provincial rugby, borders that separate us from those we women’s rugby and the author’s own love, perhaps most so those closest by. rugby family. But these carefully-wrought poems First published as a limited edition chart most fully and generously—with hand-bound booklet in 2013, this new wit, longing and insight—the strange, enlarged edition contains rugby poems challenging topography of the self, one from the past four years and is this poet suggests is worth accepting for accompanied by writer and historian all of its ‘cliffs collapsing and ravenous Ron Palenski’s informative foreword. waves.’” – Bryan Walpert The book’s title “Sidelights” comes from an Eden Park rugby column of the About the Author same name in the Auckland Weekly News, 1930s. Damian Ruth was born in South Africa Wellington writer and editor Mark of immigrant parents, and has left many Pirie’s poems, written between 1993 times. After a stint in Ireland at the turn and 2017, have been widely published of the century, he moved to New in journals, anthologies and newspapers Zealand with partner and child. He lives such as Ron Palenski’s Touchlines: An

...... 5 Spring 2017 Dr Michael O’Leary - Archivist Donate to PANZA About the Poetry (04) 905 7978 through PayPal Archive email: [email protected]

Visits welcome by appointment You can now become a friend of Poetry Archive of New Zealand PANZA or donate cash to help us Aotearoa (PANZA) Current PANZA Members: continue our work by going to Mark Pirie (HeadworX), Roger Steele http://pukapukabooks.blogspot.com and PANZA contains (Steele Roberts Ltd), Michael O’Leary accessing the donate button – any (Earl of Seacliff Art Workshop) and Niel donation will be acknowledged. A unique Archive of NZ published Wright (Original Books). poetry, with around five thousand titles from the 19th century to the present day. Current Friends of PANZA: Recently received The Archive also contains photos and Paul Thompson, Gerrard O’Leary, paintings of NZ poets, publisher’s Vaughan Rapatahana, Cameron La donations catalogues, poetry ephemera, posters, Follette (USA), Riemke Ensing and the reproductions of book covers and other New Zealand Poetry Society. memorabilia related to NZ poetry and Jenny Powell – South D Poet Lorikeet poetry performance. PANZA is a registered charitable trust by Jenny Powell. Wanted Vaughan Rapatahana – ternion by NZ poetry books (old & new) Vaughan Rapatahana. Other NZ poetry items i.e. critical books on NZ poetry, anthologies of NZ poetry, Rowan Gibbs – 7 titles. poetry periodicals and broadsheets, poetry event programmes, posters and/or Mark Pirie – 4 titles. prints of NZ poets or their poetry books. DONT THROW OUT OLD NZ Titirangi Poets – Forty Years of POETRY! SEND IT TO PANZA Titirangi Poets. PANZA will offer: Carcanet Press – The Little Sublime • Copies of NZ poetry books for private Comedy by John Gallas. research and reading purposes. • Historical information for poets, Tony Beyer – Anchor Stone by Tony writers, journalists, academics, Beyer. researchers and independent scholars of NZ poetry. PANZA kindly thanks these donators to • Photocopying for private research the archive. purposes. • Books on NZ poetry and literary history, and CD-ROMs of NZ poetry and literature. • CDs of NZ poets reading their work. You can assist the preservation of NZ poetry by becoming one of the Friends of the Poetry Archive of New Zealand Aotearoa (PANZA ). If you’d like to become a friend or business sponsor of PANZA, please contact us.

Contact Details Poetry Archive of NZ Aotearoa (PANZA) 1 Woburn Road, Northland, Wellington Dr Niel Wright - Archivist (04) 475 8042

6 ......