books from poetry table at Unity Books, Pōneke

Poetry Shelf is taking a short nap for the coming week. After a tough few months navigating a stretched health system, it feels like a mountain has lifted. But sometimes when a mountain lifts you get a smash of tiredness. This is a long slow recovery road. No change there. Today I am feeling for everyone who is struggling to cope with health challenges, overdue bills, overwork and low pay, racism, homophobia, concern about nature and the state of our planet, war and its inhumane effects upon innocent people.

I love furnishing Poetry Shelf, establishing connections, spotlighting new books, showcasing authors, ideas, writing of all genres, coming up with new series. I know that more than anything, in these turbulent times, whether personal, local or global, we need to find ways to tend and build our daily joy, our self comfort, and to reach out to the person standing next to us. Poetry Shelf, for me, is solace, diversion, inspiration, heart. And it only works because you are part of it.

Poetry Lane

It leads down to the river
where you can sit all day contemplating
the slow walk home.

Bill Manhire