Published as part of the Dunedin City of Literature Possibilities Project For a start we are all awarded a year off, paid to do whatever we want. Aeroplanes are out, so we board sailing ships and crazy coloured zeppelins. We live for a long time (if we want.) It’s true that most of us are …
Category Archives: Writing
Two poems in Takahē
Two poems of mine have been published in Takahē 98, Rage Virus and A Sea Wife. Thanks to Takahē who got this issue out online despite the current situation.
Bat Flu
https://youtu.be/dNNABc4rKEE At first it’s novelty. A chance to catch up on housework. Garden trimmers burst into life. Unwanted noise becomes reassurance, a signal of normality over the hedge. But the world’s grown strange beyond the letterbox. The Government prints money, gives it away. It’s early days: Cupboards still half full, accounts still in the …
The Contagion
Despite Google and experts, it’s fair to say it caught us off guard – by surprise. There was not a lot of joined up thinking, and early on in the piece, some wondered how such an antique doom could still stalk the land with scythe and skull. Towns slammed their gates, the plague already inside …
The Lifers: Michael Steven
Michael Steven has published his second poetry collection, The Lifers. This is an exceptional book from one of New Zealand’s best poets. I recommend seeking out a copy immediately.
Great South Desert
My poem ‘Great South Desert’ was recently featured in the New Zealand Poetry Society 2019 anthology The Perfect Weight of Blankets at Night. It features many iconic landmarks of the future. Te Ika a Maui and Te Wai Pounamu are amalgamated, welded by the gnarled spine of a metamorphic taniwha who manifested in the Great …
How good is this?
After I got back from Hawaii, there were fireworks for New Year, then the cricket, not that I’m complaining, it’s always a busy time of year – a family time. I was having a look at the business pages one evening when the wife said look outside at that will ya? To be honest I …
Phoning it in
I thought hard about publishing this. There’s been enough of a media circus around the publishing of a deeply offensive cartoon already. But this situation is too close to home. I’ve written for this newspaper and know that the journalists and other staff are deeply upset. The cartoon published by the Otago Daily Times was …
Profiled
Originally posted on Iona Winter:
Victor Billot lives in Ōtepoti Dunedin and grew up in Warrington, where he says ‘the natural environment was omnipresent.’ 🌳 With three self-published poetry collections, his work has appeared in anthologies and journals in Aotearoa and Australia. He currently has a manuscript ‘under consideration’ by a publisher, and is reading ‘A…
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.
Tuesday 8th October, 6pm (light refreshments served at 5.30pm)
Ground Floor Exhibition Space, Dunedin City Library
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 …
Changing Minds: Memories Lost and Found
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 Meniscus is published on the Given Words site
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…— …
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.
Victor Billot 