The results of the Whitireia Café Poetry compeititon have been announced – congratulations to winner Mercedes Webb-Pullman. More about this here http://www.whitireia.ac.nz/news/Pages/cafepoetry.aspx To celebrate, there will be a series of readings in cafés:
Cafe Kaizen @ Pataka Museum, Porirua (cnr Parumoana and Norrie St)
Winners Presentation Night, Wednesday 3rd November, 6pm
Dinner (if you’ve booked) from 6pm, with poems from the winners throughout the night. Or come at 7.30pm for a selection of poems, including the major prize winners.
Lembas Café, Raumati South (34 Poplar Ave, in Raumati Sth village shops)
Thursday 4th November @ 6pm. Poetry reading starts @ 6.30pm.
Cafe Villa, Ngaio (61 Ottawa Road) Friday 5th November @ 1pm.
The Ballroom Café, Newtown (9 Riddiford St) Sunday 7th November 4-6pm.
The Marrakech Café, Evans Bay (305 Evans Bay Rd) Tuesday 9th November. Moroccan dinner @ 6pm, Poetry @ 7pm.
The Fig Tree Café and Delicatessen, Upper Hutt (386 Fergusson Dr)
Wednesday 17th November 4–5pm.
Seatoun Café and Bar, Seatoun (24 Dundas St) Eat Your Words Grand Finale
Saturday 20th November @ 3pm for an early summer barbecue (if it’s fine); exhibition of Eat Your Words poems on the wall
Further details about bookings and meal specials can be found at the Whitireia link above. I am planning to go along to Café Kaizen, Café Villa, The Marrakech Café and the Ballroom Café, to read a café poem or two.
November is a great month for poetry in Wellington. The NZ Poetry Society anthology launch is happening on 6 November at 4:30pm at Turnbull House, Baobab Café in Newtown (152 Riddiford St has an open mic event Sunday 7 November, 4-7pm Wellington, and there are many more events which you can read about here http://www.poetrysociety.org.nz/poetrynews or here http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=44397077940 .
On Thursday 18th November, I will be one of the guest poets at the Watusi Spring Sessions, along with Trev Hayes and Mike Tights. I’ll post more details once they are confirmed, but it’s likely to start at 8pm-ish and there will an open mic and bands.
Janis Freegard's Weblog 
What a great event for Poetry this has been . Well done to all involved Janice
Whoops Janis not Janice sorry
Yes, the organisers have done a great job and it was such a good idea for a competition, given the long and fruitful association between poets and cafes. Personally my only involvement was to enter a couple of poems into the competition, lured by the prospect of cafe vouchers!
Hi Janis – at least you made the list of prize winners and commended poets – well done to you. I entered, and although my poem was not placed, I am delighted to be invited to read it at the Marrakech Cafe on 9 November – such joy to participate, winner or loser, among lovers of poetry and a great initiative by Whitireia. 🙂
Lovely! Hopefully I’ll see you there, Maggie.