The craft of poetry

Saradha Koirala lives, writes and works in Wellington. She describes herself as a Wellington poet and secondary school teacher with roots in Nelson and Nepal.

Saradha will be "home" for Easter, staying with family and will be the featured guest at Nelson Live Poets monthly gathering.

"Zen aficionados might urge us to just live in the moment but Saradha's poetry suggests that an appreciation of our own experience is not immediately apparent but rather requires memory, reflection, perhaps even the act of writing, to make sense" says Harvey Molloy in her review of Tear Water Tea, Saradha's most recent volume of poems.

Saradha's poetry is shaped by her Nepali and Pakeha origin. She has a Masters in Creative Writing (2007) from Victoria University's International Institute of Modern Letters and has tutored Creative Writing at Massey University.

Tear Water Tea was published by Steele Roberts in 2013. Her first collection of poems, Wit Of The Staircase, was published in 2009. Her work has also been published in various literary journals and she has earned a number of awards for her poems.

"Poetry is my favoured form of writing," she says, "but finding time to string words together in any context makes me extremely happy. I still can't believe my luck in having a job where I can speak in and about metaphors all day."

Her latest projects include writing book reviews for Lumiere Reader and dabbling with young adult fiction.

Kane Hogan & Rebecca will again open the Live Poets evening with a touch of musical class and tunes from the heart. They will be followed by a short open mic session showcasing local poets before Saradha takes the stage. A break will follow her performance after which the open mic will be turned on again for further readings and performances from the audience.

Saradha Koirala, Nelson Live Poets Society, the Yurt at The Free House, Collingwood St, Nelson. Tuesday, April 22, doors open: 6pm, music by Kane Hogan & Rebecca from 6.30pm, first open mic 6.45pm, Saradha Koirala 7.15pm, break 7.45pm, second open mic 8pm. Koha entry with drink from the bar. Further information: Carol Ercolano: 03 545 0162, Mark Raffills: 027 215 4969.