Mark Pirie

A brief but very good mention of the book I edited, King Willow: Selected Poems by Robert J Pope, appeared in the latest issue of the Cricket Society's Journal:

JOHN SYMONS

Review of King Willow: Selected Poems by Robert J Pope edited by Mark Pirie

HeadworX Publishing web: http://headworx.eyesis.co.nz

Mark Pirie is continuing to explore New Zealand literary history both old and new and here we have a selection of poems from a writer, Robert J Pope whose life (1865-1949) covered the birth of New Zealand cricket through to Walter Hadlee's determination on the post-war tour of England to be worthy of full-length Test Matches.

Although, well-regarded in his lifetime as with many poets, he became unfashionable although there now seems to be a reappraisal of his work. The selection from his work set out here contains only a single cricketing poem but his other work is well worth modern consideration. There is a wistful and elegiac tone to his war poetry - no drums and bugles and hurrahs - more sadness at lives lost and friends no longer to be greeted.

The only cricket poem "King Willow" was written to welcome in the 1932 season but there is a small section of cricket prose at the end of the book. I also liked his affectionate parody of W B Yeats in Billy's Tea which made me smile.

Not really enough perhaps to convince the cricket collector to add this to his library but Mark Pirie is ploughing a singular furrow as he explores the byways of New Zealand literature and deserves the praise that he is garnering. A writer and a publisher who are always worth seeking out.

(From The Journal of the Cricket Society, UK, Volume 26, No. 4, Spring 2013, p. 69-70).

Three of my poems were included in the recently released anthology of rugby poetry called Touchlines. It is mainly about the history of New Zealand rugby and the All Blacks.

It is a wonderful tour through historic newspapers unearthing many gems on famous rugby players of long ago i.e. the All Black Originals of 1905/06 and the Invincibles of 1924/25 up to and including recent legends like Sir John Kirwan and 2011 World Cup star Piri Weepu.

The book is edited by All Blacks historian Ron Palenski and my three poems in it are 'Scrum-feed' for Piri Weepu, 'The Cup' for Richie McCaw and 'The Wandering Bard' for poet Ernest L Eyre (a life member of the North Shore Rugby Club).

My own grandfather Tom Lawn (a club player 1919-1929) coached the North Shore Club back in 1938 with Bert Cooke, the All Black Invincible of 1924/25.

I also guest edited the Tuesday Poem blog, 30 April 2013, with an All Blacks poem by Robert J Pope from the book I recently published called King Willow.

Copies of Ron Palenski's Touchlines: An Anthology of Rugby Poetry can be purchased direct from the NZ Sports Hall of Fame, Dunedin. Price $22.00NZ. Email: [email protected] Copies can be purchased by credit card on telephone 64 3 477 7775. Website: http://nzhalloffame.co.nz

Following a visit to the NZ Rugby Museum at Palmerston North, October 2012, the Director Stephen Berg published an article in the Manawatu Standard, 14 November 2012.

The article relates to the discovery of my grandfather's rugby career through an old photo I had in my possession. I had no knowledge of his career prior to the visit apart from remembered family stories which may be inaccurate. Thanks to Stephen for his help in identifying the photo.

My grandfather Tom Lawn (a tall forward) learned his rugby at Stratford District High School and after played for Sydenham Football Club and Technical Old Boys in Christchurch and College Rifles in Auckland, from 1919-29. He won Canterbury representative honours in 1925. The 1927 College Rifles team that he was part of included three All Blacks and a Maori All Black. He later received an invitation and coached North Shore Club to a good position in 1938 with Bert Cooke, a member of the 1924/25 All Blacks "Invincibles" team.

Here's a link to the article (which includes some of the information found):
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/sport/7947872/Mysteries-solved-and-treasures-recovered-through-photo-library

My publishing company HeadworX has just released a new edition of early New Zealand author and songwriter Robert J Pope's poetry, King Willow, a substantial edition with accompanying introduction, notes and bibliographical material.

Robert J Pope (1865-1949) is a Wellington poet of interest for his poems covering the two world wars and the All Blacks "Invincibles" tour of 1924/25 as well as suburban satires of Wellington city-life (fashion, sport, politics and culture 1902-44) that still ring true today.

See the book information page here for more details.

Copies can be purchased from me directly using the contact form on this website.

A report on the book launch was on Beattie's Book Blog, 6 December 2012.