I’ve been prompted to do track down a couple of poetry events (no lack of 'em) so I can put up this quote from Ian McEwan’s new book Saturday (which is, incidentally, utterly fantastic, especially the icky neurosurgery bits).

Novels and movies, being restlessly modern, propel you forwards through days, years or even generations. But to do its noticing and judging, poetry balances itself on the pinprick of the moment. Slowing down, stopping yourself completely, to read and understand a poem is like trying to acquire an old-fashioned skill like dry-stone walling or trout tickling.

Or… growing begonias perhaps. September 27 is Poets' Day in the Wellington Botanic Gardens annual Spring Festival and there’s to be a lunchtime (12.10–1.30) poetry reading dubbed ‘Flora Poetica‘ in the Begonia House.

Jenny Bornholdt, the Te Mata Estate Poet Laureate, will be reading, and will also launch a small book of Garden Poems by Dinah Hawken, written while she was poet-in-residence in the Botanic Gardens and Otari-Wilton's Bush during 2004, under the NZ Poetry Society's Poets in Workplaces scheme (no clues, I'm afraid, as to who Otari-Wilton was but there's some info in this link about his or her extraordinary bush).

Stephanie de Montalk, Chris Price, Diana Bridge and students from the IIML will follow by reading poems about plants, gardens and the natural world. It’s definitely time to start getting excited about spring; the kowhais are out and I’ve even seen some wild clematis frosting the tree-tops along Scenic Drive. Although this weather is trying to pretend it’s mid-winter… mind you, it can always be changeable in September. But it’s good for the gardens. Oh shut up.

Then, back in Auckland, at the end of next week there’s Pasifika Plus – a free poetry and music event at the Auckland University’s Strata Café. Chaired by Selina Tusitala Marsh, guests include John Pule, Okusitino Mahina, Cherie Barford, Mua Strickson Pua, Erica Lindsey, and more. Friday 30 September, 5-7pm. For further information, contact Christine O’Brien: c.obrien@auckland.ac.nz, tel 373 7599 × 85735.