Introduction
Talofa Lava, welcome indeed to issue 47 celebrating twenty five years online.
We released blackmail press, June 2001. Published on a windows 95 operating system and dial up internet - we could not cut and paste and for the first 5 years sustained four issues a year. blackmail press originated from an A4 broadsheet left around New Lynn cafes and takeaways and the name you may ask? An obvious play on words from a poem of the same name. Long lost in an old note pad. Left somewhere in the past. But I liked how it sounded and I liked the intent.
To still be online in an era of social media and a political scene globally dominated by conspiracy theorists, A.I. and right wing oligarch's, is something truly bleak; As if Janet Frames dystopian ending of Intensive Care, has come to be. I fear Gaza is just a beginning.
blackmail press survives, albeit with less than a 3rd of the readership of our heyday. Barely heard over the cacophony of every media platform on the planet. Still hosted by Homestead.com; we are so very grateful for this humble Application Service Provider platform we call home for quarter of a century. Ioe, blackmail press is still here!
Issue 47 begins with the current Poet Laureate Robert Sullivan, features poets who we have long hoped would grace our journal, Jack Ross, Emma Neale.
Poets who we hoped would return, Siobhan Harvey, Mark Pirie, Kim Meredith, David Stavanger, Jennifer Compton, Angela Trolove, David Eggleton, Serie Barford, Vaughan Rapatahana, Courtney Meredith, Wes Lee.
We are especially excited to share nui voices like Ox Matiu, Lisa Stanley, Anne Hill, Thomas Coffey. There is so much to celebrate in this fine issue of poets and poetry.
The issue is dedicated to one of our dearest friends, who was a mentor, a friend and a generous contributor from the very first issue, Larry Jaffe. (https://www.larryjaffee.com/)
Larry and I met on a poetry bulletin board run by David Barnes, Poetry Downunder. Larry gave me generous critique and advice of my early poetry. Larry said firmly "Doug, you never have to spoon feed your audience" when I used Samoan words or concepts in my poems. Larry helped shape my lyrical voice and be proud of it.
When I started blackmail press, due in no small part to courage given to me by Christina Conrad and the generosity of Michelle Leggot (H o n e y b e e). Larry Jaffe was there, regularly, like a cool father figure. Larry and I would call each other - he lived in LA and I lived in Te Atatu. Larry would marvel that I was talking to him from the future , that was the kinda guy Larry was. In February of this year I wrote to Larry to invite him to be in the issue. I needed him, my dearest Jewish friend, needed his voice for peace and understanding. Months passed by, which was unusual. But then a message came back from Shelly, his wife. Larry had passed away.
I never got to say goodbye to Larry, "Poet For Peace", who believed in a young poet and aspiring publisher in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Who, when it felt like no one else believed in blackmail press, he did. I am crying as I write this realisation.
Fa'afeti Lava Larry, we will meet again at the bottom of the waterfall, we will meet again in the children.
So, to all the readers, the poets who joined this movement for understanding, decency and peace through poetry, all the cover artists, guest editors and contributors over many years. I say, Fa'afeti Lava to you all.
Here it is, for Larry and all of you!
Doug Poole
29 August 2026
