Yellow Lamp: First Thursday Poems by Anuja & Georgie

Blackout Poetry Aotearoa is a poetry initiative run by Hebe Kearney. Their workshops range from disasters to turning fact into fiction. The initiative is a celebration of poetry and an encouragement of chaos, using blackout poetry as an anchor for self-expression. Since 2025, they've been a fundamental part of the Auckland poetry scene. They run workshops consistently and you can follow them at @blackoutpoetryaotearoa and @he__be for all the details. They currently have an open submission for their third Blackout Poetry zine. This issue, titled Queer The Page, asks submitters to provide something colourful. You can read more about it and submit by clicking here.

We have been thinking about what to call this space, as focusing solely on poems feels limiting, given that so much talent exists beyond the scope of poems. For instance, there are great story writers and initiatives existing among us, and we want to showcase them as a whole. While we figure out what to name this space, we would like to welcome you to a poetry initiative called Blackout Poetry Aotearoa.