Nerves overcome as new event puts poets on stage
THE prospect of rubbing shoulders with ‘‘famous’’ poets as she recited her own work this weekend did not faze upandcoming poet Genevieve Schmidt, of Luggate.
‘‘I’m nervous, but I’m more excited than nervous.’’
Genevieve was one of dozens of poets who read out their poems at the inaugural Poetry Speakeasy held as part of arts festival Across the Bridge — Bannockburn.
About 100 people packed the Bannockburn Hotel for the event and festival coorganiser Jan Hawkins said it showed the enthusiasm people had for reading their own work.
A poetry competition had been held in conjunction with the event and many of those reciting on Saturday were among the 99 people who had entered, Mrs Hawkins said.
They rubbed shoulders with guest poets Gregory O’Brien and Jenny Bornholdt, who are from Wellington but are living in Alexandra at present as the Henderson House artists in residence, and Annabel Wilson, of Wanaka.
All three were the focus of the Poets in the Pub event that followed the speakeasy.
Genevieve said she had not come across the ‘‘famous’’ poets before, but she remembered well the inspiration for her own poem, The Caring Poppy.
‘‘I just made it up when I was out in the garden. I just got a bit bored and I thought ‘oh, I’ll write a poem’.’’
Other poets reciting work at the speakeasy encouraged people to both write and perform.
‘‘Be brave and just do it,’’ Margaret Nyhon, of Alexandra, who was reciting in public for the first time, said.
‘‘It’s good when you have the opportunity to take the opportunity,’’ Oturehua poet Jillian Sullivan said.
‘‘You’ll be glad that you’ve done it. You’ll feel good afterwards.’’
The Across the Bridge event featured a fiveday programme of arts, food, wine and heritage events, including a Bannockburn Ramble guided walk, writing conversations and workshops, an art exhibition in the historic Cairnmuir Woolshed and the wellknown Bannie Beanie competition.