“Writing makes you stronger.” - Apirana Taylor

On Wednesday, 5 June students and staff were treated to a visit from esteemed New Zealand creative Apirana Taylor. Taylor is an internationally published Māori poet, storyteller, playwright, novelist, actor, musician, and painter. He is also part of the Read NZ Te Pou Muramura initiative ‘Writers In Schools.”

Students enjoyed a 45 minute poetry reading from Taylor, who performed the majority of his works from memory. Following the reading, there was a writing workshop that students could attend, following a call for expressions of interest in the school notices leading up to the event. 22 students attended the workshop. Taylor was a natural in creating a comfortable atmosphere for students to tap into their creative writing potential. Students unlocked a personal wordbank through a series of quick activities, which culminated in a final poetry piece. Those who attended were commended for their efforts, with particular attention given to the enthusiasm students showed when reading their poetry aloud.

Kamo High School was the last engagement for Apirana Taylor, after two weeks and 12 different schools. His parting words were that he felt “revived” by the visit to Kamo High School, and that the ideas of our young people gave him hope for the future.

The students are keen to continue sharing their ideas through an ad hoc creative writing club. More details regarding this will follow as the student-led project takes shape, and will be shared through the school notices. Also, inspired by this visit, some of the participants have agreed to share their poetry here. Please enjoy the offerings shared here, and watch this space as the creative writing space grows from strength to strength here at Kamo High School.

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The river flows down the mountain,

the smoke floats up to the moon,

the battle is mellow.

• Anonymous

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The world is a tree of constellations. A storm of acorns and leaves. Hope lost to a famine and fake news streams bittersweet memories like a sound stuck on replay. The world is burning and we are the arsonists.

• Anonymous

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The love felt as I heard ‘kia kaha’. They are as if they were symphonies in my mind, birds harmoniously chirping and tweeting. As if the hatred and rage has left the world. The tranquility and calmness of a maunga, the stillness of the ocean. As if the only thing left in or modern world is love there is no aggression in the bark of dog, rather excitement and playfulness we are no longer divided Aries, Leo, Aquarius, weariness, anxiety, troubled thoughts gone, evaporated into humidity.

• Isabella Latter.