Riemke Ensing

Relinquishing the Lauris Edmond Memorial Award to another after a little less than two years was sad, as I’ve thought of this particular award as rather personal and special, but despite that slight feeling of loss, it was a good event. Held in the Hannah Theatre, Wellington during the New Zealand Festival on 12 March 2014, there were four readers other than myself. It was great to share the stage with Jenny Bornholdt, Geoff Cochrane, Vivienne Plumb and Michael Harlow, who at the end of the readings, was presented with the ‘prize’ for the next two years, by Laurice Gilbert, President of the New Zealand Poetry Society. Also at the presentation were Frances Edmond (member of the ‘Friends of the Lauris Edmond Memorial Prize’ ) who hosted the event and introduced the poets, and Dame Fiona Kidman, both as Patron of the Poetry Society and Friend of Lauris Edmond. There was a good turn out and many familiar faces, and I was delighted afterwards to meet poet Annie Newcomer all the way from Kansas, USA, by chance in Wellington on her last day in this country, with whom I’ve since become an e-mail correspondent.