Launch one: The first launch was in Palmerston North at the City Library. The speakers were Helen Rickerby, my editor, Thom Conroy, friend and creative writing professor at Massey University, and Natasha Allan did a beautiful blessing of the book. This one felt like a slightly more formal, ‘family, colleagues, local community’ (and friends, of … Continue reading ‘The Comforter’ launches (2)
It’s early Monday morning and I just said to my editor, Helen Rickerby ‘Isn’t love the best drug? because I am still high from all the love at the launches!’. Helen and I did two launches, in two cities in two days! They were both really beautiful and special in their own ways. For a … Continue reading ‘The Comforter’ launches (1)
‘A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.’ –Dogen Continue reading a flower falls
I’m launching my book in less than two weeks. I would love to see you there, if you are in Palmerston North or Wellington! Here are the details: Palmerston North launch: Friday, 2nd December, 6.30, Palmerston North City Library. Books available on the night for $25. There will be refreshments and general book related frivolity. … Continue reading off, off it goes
I went to the Pohangina valley. Clean spring green. PIcked up heart shaped rocks. Picked up broken glass. Picked up. They were throwing stones in the water. I walked away from the splashing. I walked past the Friday night fire pits, the Woodstock cans and pizza boxes. The trees along the bank were just flowering. … Continue reading lean in
First some writing news – Fourth Floor Literary Journal is up and I have two poems in it! Yay! You can read them HERE. Back HERE I mentioned my friend Helen wrote an essay about ‘Taking Care’ (killing) ‘Of Animals’. It’s also in 4th Floor. It is a funny, chilling read – you can read … Continue reading beets and pieces
Sometimes I end up with an unexciting glut in the garden. Recently it was silverbeet. A silverbeet glut is not like a tomato glut, or an apple glut – where your friends will get excited and happily take bagsful off your hands or you can make bulk delicious things like ketchup and apple sauce. I … Continue reading unexciting gluts
A few years ago, I rescued a whole lot of plants from a garden in my old neighbourhood which was about to be demolished. When I moved to my new house, just over a year ago, I was careful to shift a lot of the tiny poppy baby plants from the legacy of that garden-save. … Continue reading the poppies live on
My book is going to print at the end of this week! I can’t believe it. Helen Rickerby, who owns Seraph Press and edited the book, has somehow made the process of editing and co-ordinating the book (seem) effortless AND even fun. She is a wonderful editor who really gets behind the poets she publishes, … Continue reading ‘The Comforter’ has a cover!
One of my favourite poets is American poet Gary Snyder. He is described as the ‘poet laureate of deep ecology’ by some and I would agree with that. I guess he is a natural fit for me – he studied Zen Buddhism in Japan for years and writes a lot about the human spirit and nature. … Continue reading the trail is not a trail
Helen Lehndorf 