Poetry Snaps

Hebe Kearney is the person behind Blackout Poetry Aotearoa, and a huge nerd. If you come across their poetry, you'll know more than you ever imagined about niche topics like radiation, fungi, or the history of a particular date in the Gregorian calendar. And you know what? Their enthusiasm is contagious. Welcome, the royal supreme of accessible poetry, zine-making and special interests!

A pillar of poetry in Aotearoa, Dominic Hoey sits down with us to talk about some of his most controversial takes. Is there really a difference between poetry and prose? Can rich people make good art? Is writer's block real? Dominic believes the best writing doesn't just come from Universities and residencies, but from learning from the writers around you. As the teacher of "How to Wr...

Tara Mok is a poet who dances effortlessly between earthly and mystical realms. She only recently started performing her work, preferring, as many poets do, to share on the pages of her zines. With titles like, "Salvation is Hot and Sticky", her writing is ethereal, visceral and sexy. On this episode, we explore the budding excitement of a fresh poet, and the intimate relationship betwee...

The girlboss of the poetry scene is in the studio! Dani Kionasina is the founder and force behind Tangata Atamai - a creative platform which raises the profile moana storytelling. Dani isn't afraid to share her words with the world. She is self-published, self-employed and bravely doing poetry the best way she knows how. Proudly!

Get ready to feel ooky-spooky, as Ted Greensmith-West takes us on a journey through his poetry as a queer writer with a taste for the gothic. As a pākeha environmental lawyer, Ted shares his deep commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and what his experiences growing up in New Zealand taught him about agricultural violence.

She's a woman of many talents - Jessie Fenton joins us in the studio with a kiwi accent as strong as ever. We talk about the thrill of the slam, fallow fields and the need for beautiful surrounds. Importantly, she teaches Ash the joys of a Rainbow Paddlepop.

Ash (aka Mr. Lamp) is the force behind Yellowlamp - a monthly poetry event in Auckland. He's nerdy, silly and fiercely Welsh. In this episode, Ash finds his seat as our new co-host and turns the tables on Sarah, who finally gets to be a guest.

We're back baby! Aotearoa's poetry scene is thriving, and Poetry Snaps is back with more yarns and a brand-spankin' new host!

Jamie Trower started writing as a way to help him recover from a skiing accident he had as a child. Since then, he’s published a number of poetry collections, established his career as a magazine writer, and started his own publishing house: Birdboy Press. This week on Poetry Snaps we talk about how we can create worlds with words when we are faced with isolation. We dive into the experience of re...

Ruby is a poet, storyteller, creative facilitator and current student of law. In this episode we talk about her work with Te Kāhui, a youth arts programme promoting storytelling in communities and corrections. We also explore the way Pasifika poets have influenced her writing, and the deeply flawed nature of a “hierarchy” of needs.

Ōtautahi based poet and Classics nerd, Claudia Jardine, zooms into the studio via the internet in this episode. In the build-up to the release of her first full-length poetry collection, BITER, we talk about IUDs, pelicans, and the caveats of translating ancient love poems.

As part of Auckland Pride, Sarah and Dan hosted an evening at Movespace where queer poets explored the theme of sex in their poetry. The episode was recorded live in front of an audience, and began with a panel discussion. Then each poet showcased their take on the topic of "queer sex" - whatever that might mean to them.

Georgie Silk is a poet, theatre maker and counsellor who has done extensive research into the relationship between creativity and dealing with mental distress. This week on Poetry Snaps, we delve into the reasons why writing poetry usually makes you feel good.

Current National Slam Poetry Champion, theatre maker and good friend Dan Goodwin sits down to chat about all the things that lie beneath the words of a poem.

Tate Fountain is a gentle poet. Her verse matches the delicate flow of her dress. She’s silly, and funny, and is so excited about all the ways poetry in Aotearoa is growing.

Mohamed Hassan is an old friend, but he is also one of the most talented poets, writers and journalists I have ever met. We talk about the politics of poetry, and the poetry of politics.

Katie Rickson is a writer, editor, poet and founder of Compassion Poetry - an online collection of poems and essays about life with a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. Katie and I talk about the way writing can help ground you, help you explore your world with wonder and compassion, and the importance of emotional intelligence in surviving our current landscape.

Sheldon Rua is a poet and dancer from Tāmaki Makaurau South. In this kōrero dig into the roots of spoken word poetry here in Auckland, and unsurprisingly find the oral history of our Māori and Pasifika people.

Grace Shelley is the editor of Overcom, a queer literary journal published here in Tāmaki Makaurau. We talk about the subtle sexiness of queer poetry, the blossoming world of page poetry, and the role of the English Teacher in fostering a love of poems.

Carrie and Liv are the Taylor Swifts of poetry. They tell us about the ways their growing and shifting friendship has contributed to growth in their work. We talk about poetry crowns, and imposter syndrome, and the way misogynists (inadvertently) publicised their first show.