Poetry Night in Dunedin - 8 July 2026

By Octagon Poetry Collective - Mac MacDonald | Posted: Tuesday Jul 21, 2026

Poet and Octagon Poetry Collective committee member extraordinaire, Mac MacDonald, shares highlights from their latest poetry reading:

CROWS CIRCLE CONTROL TOWER

In association with UNESCO City of Literature Dunedin and the New Athenaeum Theatre, the Octagon Poetry Collective hosted its monthly poetry night for July at the New Athenaeum Theatre on the 8th. A cold, wet, and windy evening proved a bit much for some punters, but nevertheless, a weather resilient crowd of around forty were warmly welcomed by MC, Jasmine OM Taylor.

Fourteen poets were up for the open mic. We were asked, what is remembering? We thought of Eric playing the blues. When urged to make someone’s day, we went shopping. When crows circled the control tower our minds were bent and we precariously danced on the edge of the world wondering whose prayer would be answered first? We were thirsty so Big Alcohol came to the party, but not once did they visit our kids in ICU.

Jenna Heller was the first of two Feature Poets. She asked, where is Thumbkin, before meditating on the silence of tides only to face wild winds on the not-so-distant horizon and at last acknowledging she did not know how much longer she could sleep on the couch. She walked the dunes to where paths fork and split. The estuary blinked, and no longer the parallel of a forgotten whisper, she found herself cradled in hope.

Feature Poet number two, Jordan Irvine, purchased a mini oven instead of an air fryer, asked if you could break dance in the bathroom, would you, wondered what they’d done to help save the arts, tries to learn more than AI every day, reckons there are no boys and girls just wankers, stuck his hand down the shitter and pulled out love, and wants their therapist to admit they’re her favourite client.

The next Octagon Poetry Collective Poetry night will be held on August 12, 2026. Feature Poets: Sandie Forsyth and Linda Collins.

MC: Jackson.

You don’t want to miss this one.

Everyone welcome.