Q & A with Megan Kitching

Megan Kitching is an Ōtepoti Dunedin poet. Her debut collection At the Point of Seeing (Otago University Press, 2023) won the 2024 Mātātuhi Foundation Jessie Mackay Prize for a best first book of poetry at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. In 2021, she was the inaugural Caselberg Trust Elizabeth Brooke-Carr Emerging Writer Resident.

What does poetry mean to you and why is it important?

Poetry is a way to engage with the world through words working intensely and wholeheartedly. It shows us what language is capable of.

Why does Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day matter?

Events and celebrations like this remind us that poetry and creativity are central to our lives and deserve space to flourish.

How would you describe your kaupapa as a poet?

I try to be patient, attentive and playful in finding poetry in nature and everyday life.

What poetry are you reading and loving right now?

I’m loving the range and energy of David Eggleton’s Respirator, especially his whale poems. I’m also soaking in the many voices of the 2024 Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook.

Have you discovered new poets or new poems on one of Phantom's poetry posters? How do you feel about getting poetry out to the community in this way?

The poetry poster I remember most was not from a new poet, but from Janet Frame. Re-encountering her words in the large format was electrifying. Bringing poetry out on the streets and into the national conversation makes it more accessible and is a wonderful initiative.

What did you enjoy most about writing your first collection?

It’s pure joy when a line or word slides into place and generates that tingle that tells you it’s working. Such rare moments keep me writing and are also why I love editing and tweaking.