Poetry

Helen Lowe

Helen at the Wunderbar

Catalyst Open Mic
Photo: Ciaran Fox

Poetry

In 2003, I won the "Previously Unpublished" category of the inaugural Robbie Burns Poetry Competition with a poem titled Rain Wild Magic, and have since been actively writing, reading, workshopping and performing poetry. I won the A2O poetry competition (Australia) in 2007 and was a finalist in the Takahe national poetry competition in both 2006 and 2008.

I am a member of the New Zealand Poetry Society and host a monthly poetry feature for Women on Air, Plains 96.9 FM, where I get to talk with poets about their work and showcase their poetry to Christchurch and Canterbury listeners.

Look under Other Writing: Poetry above to read samples of my work.

Poetry Bio:

2021

 

On Feburary 22nd, 2021, a National Remebrance Service was held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the most devastating of the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, concluded her speech with lines from my poem, The Sparrows. 

The full text of the PM's speech, including audio, is here.

To read my blog post in response, including background context and the poem in full, click here.

2016

 

The Sparrows, Allow Me To Say, and Swarm were published in  Leaving The Red Zone: Poems from the Canterbury Earthquakes, edited by James Norcliffe and Joanna Preston, Clerestory Press.

2012


The Hours was published in The Press, September 21

Stepping Into Rain was published in The Press, August 10.

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On The Tuesday Poem Hub:–  

As guest editor, I featured:
  • Fey was featured by guest editor, Alicia Ponder,  on 1 May
Tomo was featured by fellow Tuesday Poet, Helen McKinlay, on her blog, October 22

2011

Penelope Dreaming (from the Ithaca Conversations sequence) and Starman published in Broadsheet 7

Australia Post and One Day (from the Ithaca Conversations sequence) published in The International Literary Quarterly, Issue 14 which showcases writers from New Zealand. 

2010

Haiku, winter buddha, published in the 2010 NZ Poetry Society anthology, across the fingerboards, 6 November.

Giacometti and Oral History published in JAAM 28: Dance, Dance, Dance (ed. Clare Needham & Helen Rickerby.)

Notice To Quit published in Bravado 20.

On Wednesday 7 April, I read as a guest poet at the Canterbury Poets' Autumn Season at the Madras Cafe Bookshop with inaugural NZ poet laureate, Michele Leggott, and Nick Williamson.

2009

Fey and Backwards published in Takahe 68

Haiku, after the funeral, Highly Commended in the New Zealand Poetry Society International Haiku Competition 2009 and published in the NZ Poetry Society anthology, moments in the whirlwind

The Begonias, published in the NZ Poetry Society anthology, moments in the whirlwind

A Nor'west Season, Castle Rock and Ti published in Crest to Crest, Impressions of Canterbury Prose & Poetry, Wily Publications, October 2009.

The Curve of the World published in JAAM 27, Wanderings, September 2009

do you and Tomo published in Blackmail Press 24: Secrets

Conversations published in The Christchurch Press, 1 April 2009

2008

Fey, Finalist in the Takahe National Poetry Competition

Leaving and Boundaries published in Before the Sirocco, the New Zealand Poetry Society anthology 2008

Haiku, Silver Wedding Day Commended in the New Zealand Poetry Society International Haiku Competition 2008 and subsequently published in the anthology Before the Sirocco

North published in Bravado 14

The Trojan Shore and Homing (Ithaca Conversations sequence) published in JAAM 26

Outback and Shout published in Poetry NZ 37

Haiku, May Day and Yellow Admiral published in the taste of nashi, the third New Zealand haiku anthology

Generations and Ti published in the Blackmail Press special edition: "Crossed Cultures" (18 April 2008)

You're Lucky, Cafê and White Night published in Foam:e 2008

The Trojan Shore and Homing (Ithaca Conversations sequence) published in JAAM 26. Read the review of JAAM 26 in the Otago Daily Times Belle Lettres column here

2007

The Wayfarer, Orison and from the hill featured in Takahe literary magazine (Vol. 62)

Rain, Commended in the Gum Blossoms (Australia) short poetry contest; published Scribbligum, July 2007

Castle Rock, published in The Christchurch Press, 18 July 2007

Argos, First; This is My Heart, Second, in the Alpha2Omega Poetry Competition 2007 (Australia);

Birdlings Flat, published in The Christchurch Press, April 18, 2007

Art Deco, Highly Commended in the Scribbligum (Australia) short poetry contest; published Scribbligum, March 2007

Haiku, hanging out washing published as Kiwihaiku in the NZ Poetry Society journal, a fine line, March 2007

Invited to front a monthly programme for Women on Air, Plains (96.9) FM, featuring women's voices in poetry

2006

The Wayfarer, Finalist in the Takahe National Poetry Competition

My Dunedin, Highly Commended in the Yellow Moon (Australia) "Spirit of Place" Competition; published in Yellow Moon magazine, December 2006 (Volume 20)

Haiku, winter sun... published in the NZ Poetry Society Anthology, Tiny Gaps, November 2006

New Zealand Dredge, Highly Commended in the Gems and Jewels Literary Competition (Australia)

2005

Yellow Moon (Australia):

  • Driftwood, Commended in the "Nutshell" Competition: The Elements category; published in Yellow Moon, December 2005 (Volume 18)
  • Autumn, Commended in the "Seed Pearls" Competition: The Nature Poem category; published in Yellow Moon, December 2005 (Volume 18)
  • John Marcussen, Highly Commended; Songs from the Sea Commended in the "Elegy" Competition. Both published in Yellow Moon, August 2005 (Volume 17).

Guest Poet, Women on Air, Plains 96.9 FM, 24 September 2005

Wings, published in the Fugacity '05 Online Poetry Anthology, NZ Electronic Poetry Centre