An open mic session saw Nelsonians sharing their favourite poems at Page & Blackmore Booksellers as part of National Poetry Day.

More than a dozen people jumped at the chance to share original poems or ones by their favourite poets yesterday, while audience members enjoyed afternoon tea among the bookshelves.

Maclean Barker read Margaret Mahy's Down The Back Of The Chair in tribute to the much-loved New Zealand author, who died on Monday.

Stoke woman Joan Lees read three original poems, called Weather, Night Scavenger and Breaking the Rules.

The 86-year-old said Breaking the Rules was about growing old in style: "So if we want to skinny dip or drink more than we should, we're growing old disgracefully and doesn't it feel good."

Stella Chrysostomou, who organised the afternoon tea, said: "I thought it would be really nice to have people reading their favourite poems. There's something about poetry that reminds people about experiences or special moments."

Ms Chrysostomou announced the winner of the annual Page & Blackmore National Poetry Day Competition, in which poems were constructed from a set word list.

The words were from the titles of the finalists in this year's New Zealand Post Book Awards.

Wellington woman Suzanne Herschell, who entered eight poems, took out the competition with a piece called Cooking Murder.

The judge, West Coast poet Greg O'Connell, said it presented a blend of farcical and morbid elements, combined in an original way.

It was flavoured with "memorable black humour", he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News