Terrific news: Michael Harlow has been awarded the Lauris Edmond Poetry Award.

To celebrate Friends of the Lauris Edmond Memorial Prize and the New Zealand Poetry Society gathered for readings from Riemke Ensing, Michael Harlow, Vivienne Plumb, Jenny Bornholdt and Geoff Cochrane (and the announcement!) at a Festival event.

The Lauris Edmond Memorial Award is for Distinguished Contribution to Poetry in New Zealand. Established in 2002, the prize is awarded biennially for excellence in and substantial contribution to New Zealand poetry.

I am also looking forward to Michael’s new selected poems, Sweeping the Courtyard, out March 2014 with Cold Hub Press.