Tuesday Poem - Cactus, by Janis Freegard

A video of me reading my poem Cactus which was published in Landfall last year.

Gator in Best NZ Poems 2011

You can read Gator, one of the poems in Kingdom Animalia, on the Best New Zealand Poems 2011 website. There is also a recording of me reading the poem.

Radio Interview

Interview and poetry-reading (from Kingdom Animalia) with Veronika Meduna on National Radio's 'Our Changing World'. More here, including a chance to win a copy of the book and a photo of me looking somewhat alarmed in the back garden (click on the link and scroll down).

Kingdom Animalia:the Escapades of Linnaeus

My new poetry collection, Kingdom Animalia: the Escapades of Linnaeus, has now been launched! Here's how the publisher, Auckland University Press, describes it:

Kingdom Animalia is a collection of poems that explore the various interactions between human beings and other animals, but also deals with wider subjects: love and loss, evolution and conservation, sex and death. The poems, which involve animals, as main subject or as passing guests, are arranged according to the six classes devised by eighteenth-century naturalist Carl Linnaeus, whose life’s mission was to classify the natural world. Modern taxonomy has evolved considerably but this standardised naming system is still a common language for classifying the natural world. The sections are linked by a prose poem about Linnaeus’ life.


Some photos from the launch:










Left to right: Me, reading, with Peter Clayworth, my partner & MC for the evening; My cousin Heather, my father & me; Sue (far left), Jay & me, downstairs at the Garden Club in Wellington.

There's a video of me reading 'The Icon Dies', from the book, in the video bar at the top of this page (the one with the bird mask).

Spring sessions at Watusi 8:30pm start, gold coin entry

This Thursday 18th November, I will be reading at the Watusi, 6 Edwards Street, Central Wellington (off Victoria St.), along with Trev Hayes & Mike Tights. There will also be an open mic (so bring your poems/songs) & live music from Reuben Wilson, Jordan Stewart & William Daymond.

This is me reading 'Please Rush Me', my poem from 'The Iron Book of New Humorous Verse', published by Iron Press.