Poetrycorp - 1988 to 1992

Poetrycorp was a collective of New Zealand poets dedicated to performance. Their sole publication as a group was a sampler, Poetrycorp - seven poets (Rush Hour Press, 1989).

Poetrycorp's sole publication, their self-titled
booklet, published in 1989.

The group was formed by the Simon Williamson in Wellington in 1988. Poetrycorp toured New Zealand as part of university orientations, schools tours, and tours of institutions over the next few years, sharing a stage along the way with Sam Hunt, Paul Ubana Jones and Chris Knox.

Poetrycorp were known for their full-on, highly entertaining, confrontational style, and picaresque leanings (Poetrycorp published a magazine of contributions from poets in institutions, entitled The Works, with help from a lottery youth grant). About 500 copies of this were stolen from the groups' Mini in Kaikohe while on tour, while cameras and personal equipment in the car at the time were untouched!

The full Poetrycorp line up over its four-year incarnation was:

* The late Simon Williamson (Simon's collection Storyteller was posthumously published by Headworx).
* The late Andrew Kovacevich (who became well known as a comedian, won Comedy Store in 1989).
* Alex Staines, still very much alive and being creative.
* Paul Dagarin (following Poetrycorp adventures was editor of OUSA Literary Review and leader of the Dunedin band Polyp).
* Fa'afetai Ta'ase (Samoan poet extraordinaire).
* Nikolien Van Wijk (the embodiment of Dutch courage).
* Mike Eager (published Warning with Alex Staines in 1990, and later, Living First Class in a Third World Country).
* Apirana Taylor (a standard-bearing New Zealand poet).

Poetrycorp poster for Bats Theatre season and tour in 1989 (left to right): Paul Dagarin, Mike Eager, Alex Staines, Apirana Taylor, Andrew Kovacevich. Original photo by Mags.