Paula King

Meet Paula King.  Paula teaches visual art at Whakatipuria teen parent unit and lives in Ashhurst.  Paula is a poet and visual artist, and over the last two summers has participated in the Iowa poetry and prose workshops at Victoria University.  In 2014 she won the Takahe poetry competition.  Paula shares her love of poetry and prose with her daughter Camielle.

Paula is a KUPU 2015 contributor.  Paula’s poem ‘Biography of a local girl’ received first mention in ‘catch and release:  Poems from Manawatῡ’ for masterful evocation of biology and geography through taut moving recollections.  Paula's poem 'Ash hurts' also features in the book.

Margi Mitcalfe

Margi Mitcalfe has been submitting and writing poetry for around fifteen years, since arriving in Papaioea.  Her poetry has been published in New Zealand’s literary journals, the Listener and anthologies, receiving recognition through placings in competitions across the country.  Margi's poem 'my life with ceramics' was written in response to Len Castle's national touring ceramics exhibition.  'my life with ceramics' was chosen for publication in 'Landfall 222' in 2011.  Margi teaches academic writing at Massey University and is an avid community gardener.

Margi has contributed several pieces of poetry to KUPU 2015.  Her poems 'while he threw clay' and 'arbor metaphorica' have both been featured in 'Receipted by Poetry'.  The works 'The stillest things are signs' and 'She steps from behind' are both featured in the 'Wisdom Lounge'.  Margi's poem 'Puanga' was chosen for publication in 'catch and release:  Poems from Manawatu'.

Read Margi's poem life with ceramics' here

Katrina Brougham

Katrina is a 32 year old junior doctor who is currently studying classical singing at the New Zealand School of Music. Katrina writes about what is real for her: life, love, the mysteries of the universe and more day-to-day, mundane things. Through writing she creates a connection with what is magical in life, and learns important life lessons along the way. In Katrina's own words a life without writing "would be to experience a terrible kind of painful non-life. I am grateful every day for the chance to make words sing".

Katrina is a KUPU 2015.  Her poetry is featured in the 'Seeing Through Bricks' display.

Sonya Holm

Sonya Holm has a master’s degree in political science and a background in social and educational research. Sonya has founded Write Advice, a business specialising in effective communication.  Sonya has previously taught study, writing and critical thinking skills. Sonya combines research, daily observations and humour to bring to greater understanding to the lives we live.

Sonya Holm is a KUPU 2015 contributor.  Sonya's poem 'A Facebook state of mind' is featured in the exhibition 'Seeing through Bricks'.

David Fountain

David Fountain is a fifth generation Kiwi, born in 1947 "to a father returned from the war and a mother who pined for him".  David grew up in Christchurch.  "My sisters and I felt loved and nurtured" David remembers fondly of this time.  An interest in science underpinned his education, which led on to a teaching and research life.  Family life is all important to David who's reached the place of "spiritual growth of the third age and writing for pleasure!".

David is a contributor to KUPU 2014, and KUPU 2015.  In 2014 David participated in the HOMEGROWN Poetry Competition.  David's writing efforts have seen him further establish his place in local poetry culture with his poem 'Last Period' which has been selected for ‘catch and release:  Poems from Manawatῡ’.

Christopher Tuffley

Chris Tuffley, is a senior lecturer in mathematics at Massey University. Chris was born in England, grew up in Christchurch, and began studying Māori when he returned to New Zealand in 2007, after nine years in California. 

Chris is a KUPU 2015 contributor.  His poem "Haere ki te taha mauī", was written in response to Stefanie von Büren's death in a traffic accident in August 2014.  "Haere ki te taha mauī" was selected for ‘catch and release:  Poems from Manawatῡ’, due for release 27 August 2015.  Chris also wrote 'song for Zara, aged two' which can be read here.
 

Megan Norris

Megan Norris, a biology lecturer at UCOL, has been a Palmerston North resident for 18 months, and lived on the West Coast of the South Island the decade before.  Last year Megan participated in Helen Lehndorf's writing evening classes.  Megan’s poem ‘Memorial Park Christmas Eve 2014’ has received special mention for the ebook ‘catch and release:  Poems from Manawatῡ’.  In fact, the title of the book comes from a line in her poem.  The inspiration for the poem comes from spending lovely late afternoons in the summer watching her sons play in the free pool. 

Megan is a contributor to KUPU 2015.

Ruby Dean

Ruby Dean is in her final year of high school on the Kapiti Coast.  Ruby describes herself as “a cliche cynical teenager writing poetry to express the emotions I tell no one else”.  And in the true spirit of ‘teenagerdom’ intent on defying labels and boxes, Ruby cheerfully adds “I am also an optimistic and energetic, dancer, runner, reader, sister and now apparently poet who can't wait to take on the unknown adventures ahead!”.

Ruby is a contributor to KUPU 2015.  Read Ruby's poem  'No Direction' here.
 

Deborah Thompson

Deborah Thompson a Massey graduate who has just come home from some time teaching English in Madrid, Spain. In October Deborah commences post-graduate studies at Oxford University to read an MSc in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition.  On her return Deborah plans to learn Te Reo and work full time as a language teacher, which combines both her love of learning and passion for teaching languages. Deborah’s  poetry often reflects her passion for languages and for Aotearoa.

Deborah’s poem “Tangimoana” won the HOMEGROWN POETRY competition in 2014.  Another of Deborah’s poems has also been selected for this year’s e-book.

Read Deborah's poem Tangimoana here.

Amy Atkins

Meet Amy Atkins - 18, a student in Expressive Arts at Massey University, creative writer, and poet. Poetry became a calling when Amy won her section in the 2010 New Zealand Association for Gifted Children Poetry competition.  After four years of honing her craft Amy’s effort was rewarded in 2014 when her work was published in the Poems4Peace anthologies, and in the New Zealand Poetry Society’s Take Back Our Sky.

Amy is a contributor to KUPU 2015. 

Read Amy's poetry here.

Photograph by David Unwin, FairFax NZ