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Ambient Terror available now

Ambient-Terror-cover

Released 10 May 2017 at the Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival, Ambient Terror is the third volume of poetry from Dunedin writer Victor Billot.

“Ambient Terror is an excellent collection from the talented Victor Billot. He has his finger right on the zeitgeist, and accurately portrays the spirit of our times for New Zealanders … a very gifted poet who deserves to be widely read …” (Poetry New Zealand Yearbook 2018)

“[A] rolling, blustering word-river of nanobytes, phrase chunks, alliterations and acrobatic satirical loops, held together by number-eight wire rhyme – great fun …” (Landfall Review Online, November 2017)

“Billot can be compelling and punchy. He is an exciting, wild noise, yet one supported by genuine imagination and ingenuity.” (Otago Daily Times review 6 May 2017)

“ … brilliantly wry and trenchant observations of our contemporary political culture and its mediation by pop culture and social media.” (NB Dunedin Libraries magazine, July 2017)

Support independent publishing: Buy this book on Lulu.

 Paperback available online at Lulu or at University Bookshop Dunedin.

Support independent publishing: Buy this e-book on Lulu.

 Ebook available online free for a limited time

Antarctic Poetry Exhibition

Join us for the launch of this special exhibition featuring work by twelve international poets, photographs, and photography of the poems taken in Antarctica by Blake Antarctic Ambassador Harry Seagar. The exhibition is curated by Laetitia Laubscher.

Finalists were judged and chosen by critically acclaimed New Zealand poet Bernadette Hall and expert in Antarctic literature, Dr Elizabeth Leane. The exhibition hopes to use poetry as a way to help people connect with climate science in an emotive way and give communities a deeper sense of connection with the Antarctic.

Professor Pat Langhorne will speak at the opening event about Antarctic Science, with poetry readings by Claire Beynon, Victor Billot, Jilly O’Brien and Kirstie McKinnon.

Poets: Xiaole Zhan, NZ | Jilly O’Brien, NZ | Jenny Powell, NZ | Ruby Solly, NZ |Rachael Mead, AUSTRALIA | Michael Leach, AUSTRALIA | Victor Billot, NZ | Steve Smart, SCOTLAND | Piet Nieuwland, NZ | Claire Beynon, NZ | Eric Elshtain, USA | Kirstie McKinnon, NZ

Tuesday 8th October, 6pm (light refreshments served at 5.30pm)
Ground Floor Exhibition Space, Dunedin City Library

FREE

Facebook event

30 arguments against the climate strike

The climate has always been changing
Greta Thunberg is mentally ill
Dinosaurs didn’t drive cars
Greta Thunberg is flying back on a plane
The world was ending 50 years ago
Greta Thunberg should be in school studying
It is a plot by the United Nations
Greta Thunberg could be having fun like a normal teenager
They go to McDonalds on the way home
Greta Thunberg’s extremist parents are to blame
Protesting achieves nothing
Greta Thunberg’s yacht sails are made of oil
Teenagers think they know everything
Greta Thunberg is a globalist puppet
No one would go if it was the school holidays
Greta Thunberg is paid by George Soros
It snowed last week
Greta Thunberg is alienating moderates
It is part of God’s plan
Greta Thunberg is a false flag op by the Deep State
Socialism doesn’t work
Greta Thunberg is an over privileged brat
Plants love carbon
Greta Thunberg is an enemy of freedom
So called scientists are on the climate gravy train
Greta Thunberg is needlessly worrying young people
In the long run we’re all dead anyway
and they all have mobile phones

Changing Minds: Memories Lost and Found

The Changing minds: Memories Lost and Found poetry competition was sponsored by Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day, and presented by Dunedin Public Libraries in partnership with the New Zealand Neurological Foundation, with the support of Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature, Alzheimer’s Otago, poet Sue Wootton and Dr Yoram Barak, Associate Professor of the Department of Psychological Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago.

The (deservedly) winning poem was “Harsh Light” by Elizabeth Brooke-Carr, and I was happy to be a finalist in this interesting new competition.

Given Words Poetry Competition 2019

My poem Meridian is published on the Given Words site as part of this competition held as part of National Poetry Day 2019.

Meridian

Pulse softly, wounded world.
Slow breathing, listless tides.
Life is glass thin. Crude sutures stitch years.
Solitude is a border to the day.
Halfway to the end, with cracking knees,
I inhabit myself.
Self-acceptance means life
is familiar as an old blanket,
unrecognized as a foreign city.
Circles spiral inwards,
moving towards silent endpoint.
Pulse softly, wounded world.



Great South Desert commended

The New Zealand Poetry Society are pleased to announce the results of the 2019 International Poetry Competition. With over 1,400 entries, the four judges were delighted at the amount of talented writing that was entered from around the world. OPEN SECTION Judge: Kiri Piahana-Wong1st Place: ‘Alumni Magazine’ by Margaret Moores from Cockle Bay, Auckland. 2nd…
— Read on poetrysociety.org.nz/2019/08/29/2019-international-poetry-competition/

Poetry at The Savoy

Five poets take to the mic at The Savoy to read some of their latest work: Tayi Tibble (Poūkahangatus), David Eggleton (Edgeland and other poems), Liz Breslin (Alzheimer’s and a Spoon), Michael Harlow (The Moon in a Bowl of Water) and Majella Cullinane (Whisper of a Crow’s Wing). MC Victor Billot promises to keep them all in line.
9–10pm, Thursday 9 May 2019 at the Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival.

New Zealand Poetry Yearbook 2019

I’m happy to have – for the first time – a poem printed in the New Zealand Poetry Yearbook. The 2019 edition is out now from Massey University Press. It’s a beautifully designed and produced volume featuring a diverse range of contributions selected by editor Jack Ross. It also includes reviews. The feature poet is Stephanie Christie.

Reykjavik!

Very happy to be included in this Reykjavík City of Literature project. A real buzz.

The text exhibition Read the World at the Reykjavík City Hall honours Iceland‘s centenary as a sovereign nation. The texts are chosen by nineteen UNESCO Cities of Literature around the world, one text from each city, representing an author from or with connections to the city. 

https://bokmenntaborgin.is/fra-dunedin-bokmenntaborg-unesco

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