It's National Poetry Day 'eve' and Foundation Cafe at Tūranga is hosting an even earlier 'spring' poetry smorgasbord. Presented by Canterbury Poets Collective with MC - RikTheMost and featuring a broad selection of young, emerging and er, emerged? poets. And even a tiny, wee open mic.
Catalyst's own Ciaran Fox is in the line up and it's even early enough to be home in time for an early night with a good book.
Congratulations to 2021 Christchurch Poetry Slam Champ Nathan Joe!
Runner-up - Ray Shipley
3rd place - RiktheMost
On a balmy night in Foundation Cafe at Tūranga the top 10 poets from the preliminary heat in August slugged it out across 3 rounds. It was the 10th anniversary of the Christchurch Slam being part of the national network of slams (for the pre-history, look up Poetry Idol here).
To mark the occasion, poet and artist Melanie McKerchar created a stunning trophy (the first since Poetry Idol) and lifted for the first time by Nathan at the end of a challenging and fierce three rounds.
The field of 10 were mighty and diverse - half of them were previous Slam winners (including international Slams) or runners-up, and the other half included first-timers this year.
The top 3 will go forward to the 2021 NZ Poetry Slam (to be held February 2022).
Thank you to WORD Christchurch for once again incorporating the Slam into the festival and for pulling off a postponed festival in very challenging and uncertain times.
Thank you UBS Books for sponsoring prize vouchers for our winners.
Thank you to Foundation Cafe at Tūranga for being brilliant hosts and problem solvers.
