Poems in the Barn: Harry Ricketts + Open Mic Poetry

Join us for an afternoon of Poems in the Barns!

First up, Harry Ricketts, one of NZ’s most celebrated poets and scholars, shares poems and musings from his memoir First Things and explores the influence poetry has had on his life.

As the judge of the inaugural Jan Gerritsen Poetry Competition, Harry will also announce the competition winners in each age category – children, students and adults – who will be invited to share their winning poems.

This will kick off an Open Mic Poetry session, MC'd by Arrow FM's Michael Wilson.

Everyone is welcome to share a favourite poem, or something they’ve written. You can register for the Open Mic session when you RSVP on Eventfinda or at the bookshop.

There’ll be something for all ages so bring the children for an introduction to poetry and to practice reading aloud to an audience.

Find out more about the Jan Gerritsen Poetry Competition and submit your entry at yarnsinbarns.co.nz/poetry or contact the Masterton District Library for more details. Entries close September 28th.
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About Harry Ricketts

Harry Ricketts is a poet and literary scholar and has published around 30 books. He has lived in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, since 1981. Until his retirement in 2022, he was a professor in the English Programme at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. His books include the internationally acclaimed The Unforgiving Minute: A Life of Rudyard Kipling (1999) and Strange Meetings: The Lives of the Poets of the Great War (2010). His recent poetry collections include Winter Eyes (2018) and Selected Poems (2021). With historian David Kynaston, he is the co-author of Richie Benaud’s Blue Suede Shoes: The Story of an Ashes Classic (Bloomsbury, 2024).

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This event is part of Yarns in Barns: Wairarapa Festival of Reading which takes place between 12–26th October 2024. This community-led festival features cracking yarns and tall tales for all ages from some of Aotearoa's best writers and storytellers held in an eclectic range of venues across the Wairarapa. View the full festival programme at yarnsinbarns.co.nz

Presented by Hedley's Books, Fraser Books, Masterton District Library and the Wairarapa Library Service.