Queenstown Local wins Christchurch City Libraries National Poetry Day Competition

Santiago Bonhomme has been selected as one of the winners of Christchurch City Libraries National Poetry Day Competition, taking home a prize in the adult category for his poem The World War Has Not Yet Reached the South Island. Bonhomme says the recognition is especially meaningful for him as English is his second language – originally coming from Chile.

The poet’s first language is Spanish, and most of his writing is in Spanish – translating his poems can be especially challenging, but also brings him a lot of joy.

“Before moving to New Zealand, I published three poetry books in Chile, and along the way I received some recognitions that encouraged me to keep writing,” Bonhomme says. “This is the first time I have taken part in a poetry competition since living here, which makes it even more significant.”

Feeling inspired, he entered the poem and is happy to have picked up an award. The competition is held each year as part of the Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day, New Zealand’s most important literary celebration, and is organized by Christchurch City Libraries. It welcomes writers from different parts of the country and awards winners in the categories of adults, youth, and children.

You may have seen Bonhomme’s words in the Queenstown sphere – some of his articles have been included in the Lakes Weekly, and he often shares online. Beyond our bubble, he has also worked as a columnist for newspaper and literacy and art magazines back home and across Latin America, contributing essays and reflections to cultural debates in the region.

“Outside of poetry, I often write columns, reflections, and opinion pieces that I share with the local community in Queenstown. But this recognition feels different, more intimate – like an echo between the language I grew up with and the new place I now call home.”

Alongside his creative work, Santiago has devoted time to studying New Zealand poetry, particularly the work of the late Otago poet Brian Turner. Turner’s voice struck him for its ability to weave the grandeur of the southern landscapes with the intimacy of everyday life, an aesthetic that resonates with his own search as a poet.

For the past few years, Santiago has lived in Queenstown with his wife Carolina and their two children. Here they carry forward two Latin American restaurants in the town centre, while sharing a life shaped by family, writing, and the landscapes of the South Island.

 

The World War Has Not Yet Reached the South Island
by Santiago Bonhomme

The world war has not yet reached
the South Island.
The morning carries its ordinary weight,
as if the hours were unaware
of what breaks beyond the horizon.

Elsewhere the night is filled with rubble,
cities unravel on the news
and voices arrive fractured,
their silence heavier than words.

Here, the day still bends toward habit
a cup left cooling,
a conversation that lingers too long,
doors locked without suspicion.

Yet nothing holds forever.
If the war should arrive,
the last certainty remaining
will be the way we face each other now.