What do we learn about the popularity of poetry in New Zealand?

W: Hi,Fred.What are you reading?
M: Oh,these are just some books I picked up at a local poetry festival that was held a couple of weeks ago. Even though a lot of what the featured poets wrote wasn’t in English,it was still pleasant to see that there are so many people who appreciate poetry in New Zealand.
W: I didn’t know you were such a poetry lover,Fred.Personally,I’ve always found that stuff a little boring and hard to understand.And all that flowery language gives me a headache!I’d rather read a nice long novel any day.
M: I’ll admit that poetry’s an acquired taste.But once you learn more about it,you’ll find that poems aren’t all flower and difficult to understand--they don’t even have to rhyme!
W: Then who is your favorite poet?
M: One of my favorite poets is Billy Collins,who writes really funny,fine poems in simple everyday English.
W: I’ll have to look him up.Say,have you ever written any poetry of your own?Some love sonnets,perhaps?
M: No love sonnets,but I did try to write some poems a long time ago.They were all really bad.Once I spent three hours trying to come up with a word that rhymes with"panda"!
W: Silly Fred!How could you not think of my name"Amanda"?