my birthday paella poem

Yesterday I spent the morning in a Kafkaesque rabbit hole trying to sort my new post box as the Swanson lobby is now closed. I have ended up with two boxes in two different places and like so many other people finding it impossible to sort with NZ Post. So fingers crossed my public postal address will eventually get sorted.

Meanwhile I am loving the newsletters Nelson’s VOLUME sends out.

I am currently listening to the audio book of Arundhati Roy’s memoir, Mother Mary Comes to Me. It is so deeply engaging. Highly recommended.

a week of poetry highlights

This week so many of you responded to the poetry of others on the blog – so many emails and messages, you taking time to share thoughts on why a poem or a feature mattered and hooked you. Wow! Thank you.

ONE.

Poetry Shelf celebrates the Bill Manhire Honoured Writer session at AWF 2026. I am so grateful to the Auckland Writers Festival for posting the video of the session. So many poetry gold nuggets. The video of Hannah singing ‘Making Baby Float’ was incredible. And hearing the audio clip of Bill read.

Bill’s Little Prayers will be released this Saturday, June 13 at 6.00 pm at a concert in the Hall of Memories as part of the 2026 LõemisFestival. Tickets are available HERE.

TWO.

The girl who was swallowed by ice and snow by Bernadette Hall and Kathryn Madill. I also utterly loved spending time with this Antarctic collaboration between Bernadette and Kathryn (a book and an exhibition). Go here.

THREE:

Another highlight: Poetry Shelf Playing Favourites: Adrienne Jansen chooses Peter Rawnsley and Gabrielle Huria

FOUR:

Kerrin P Sharpe’s poem, ‘Requiem for a Pony’ in Poetry Shelf Speaks Out To For With got a whole a universe of love.

FIVE:

As did the Monday Poem: ‘car music’ by Amy Marguerite

Open invitation:

From today until June 27th you have an open invitation to send me poems that would work well in my series: Poetry Shelf Speaks OUT TO FOR WITH. A chance to get political, to challenge, to grieve, to muse, to connect, to find hope. Over to you. paulajoygreen@gmail.com