Christchurch poet gets US writer's residency

New Zealand poet Jeffrey Paparoa Holman has been awarded Creative New Zealand’s University of Iowa residency for 2012.

Christchurch-based Holman will use the three-month residency to work on two new books of poems.

One of the books, Second Cuts, is based on his experiences working in shearing gangs in the 1960s and early 70s.

In the second, The True and Intimate Confessions of a Dylan Junkie, each poem is inspired by a line from the Bob Dylan song, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.

“It is a huge privilege to have a block of time to dedicate to these two books,’’ Dr Holman says. “Iowa is the centre of the creative writing universe historically - a hotbed of excellence - and that is bound to be energising for any writer.’’

Dr Holman is senior adjunct fellow in the School of Humanities at the University of Canterbury. He writes poetry and non-fiction (history, biography and memoir).

He has published seven books of poetry, including Fly Boy and Autumn Waiata and has been included in numerous anthologies.

His non-fiction includes Best of Both Worlds, the story of ethnographer Elsdon Best and his principal Tūhoe informant, the Tamakaimoana chief, Tutakangahau.

Prompted by the Christchurch earthquakes, particularly the February 22, 2011, event he has produced a new volume of poetry, Shaken Down 6.3, to be published by Canterbury University Press in June.

A new non-fiction book, The Lost Pilot, is due out next year.

The Creative New Zealand’s annual University of Iowa residency is open to both emerging and established writers. Creative NZ’s grant of $20,000 goes towards airfares, accommodation and living expenses.

The University of Iowa’s International Writing Programme brings together writers from around the world

The programme, founded in 1967, was the first international writers’ residency at a university, and remains unique in world literature.

More than 1000 writers from over 100 countries have completed residencies there.

Previous New Zealand recipients include Gordon McLauchlan, Vivienne Plumb, James Norcliffe, Penelope Todd, Brian Falkner, Kathy White and Lynley Hood.