Following the success of the 2009 Million Poems, projects were launched June-July 2010 to write poems for Matariki in Otahuhu and on the North Shore, then to bring readers and poems together in local libraries and at Auckland Central City Library.
The Poetry Project produced three poster designs and distributed copies to schools in both areas. Here is the call to action:
A Million Poems for Matariki aims to put poetry into public places in the community through June and July 2010. In parallel with celebrations for Matariki (Māori New Year), we invite schools to help generate poster poems that will be gathered for display in local communities and later archived online. Will we get a million poems into streets, shops, libraries, galleries and community centres? Can we put them into cyberspace for everyone to see as the stars of Matariki rise in our north-eastern skies? This is a project about how far poetry can go when it gets off the page and sets out into the world.
Michele Leggott, NZ Poet Laureate 2008-09
North Shore
Poets Michele Leggott and Kelly Malone took Another Million Poems for Matariki to five schools on the North Shore 17-29 June 2010. Kapa haka, poems and stories came together 30 June at the Devonport Public Library with children reading poster poems and items by Belmont Primary and Takapuna Grammar kapa haka groups.
About 900 posters went on display in the school holidays in shops and community spaces from Devonport to Hauraki Corner, and in the Birkenhead Public Library. The posters will be bound and given to the Devonport Library.
Michele Leggott wrote a poem for each school visit during Another Million Poems for Matariki and the five poems were part of the display of poster poems at the Devonport Public Library.
Gallery
Poster Poems
- BPS - Belmont Primary School (17 June 2010)
- BIS - Belmont Intermediate School (18 June 2010)
- STL - St Leo’s Catholic Primary School (21 June 2010)
- NC - Northcote College (23 June 20100
- VPS - Vauxhall Primary School (29 June 2010)
Michele’s poem
Links
Otahuhu
Poet Selina Tusitala Marsh and librarian Barry O’Callaghan took A Million Poems for Matariki to students of five schools in Otahuhu 22-30 June 2010. On the first day of workshops Selina was announced winner of the 2010 Jessie Mackay Best First Book of Poetry for her collection Fast Talking PI (Auckland UP, 2009). On the final day of workshops, students from McAuley College and Otahuhu College took over all the floor space at the Otahuhu Public Library.
About 270 poster poems were collected by the Library which displayed a selection of poems in the school holidays and plans to bind all posters as a resource for the community.
Gallery
Poster poems
Selina's Poem
Links
A Million Poems at the Library

Poets Paula Green, Michele Leggott, Kelly Malone, Selina Tusitala Marsh, Cilla McQueen and Robert Sullivan read Matariki poems with students from North Shore schools at Auckland Central City Library for NZ Post Poetry Day, Friday 30 July 2010
Poster
Gallery
Links
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