Born to a Red-headed Woman, by Kay McKenzie Cooke (Otago University Press, RRP $25): Music can evoke memories and emotions and using that ability, Kay McKenzie Cooke has created a collection of poetry that highlights people and places from her…
Category: Poetry
Poetic insight to the world of autism
Cloudboy, by Siobhan Harvey (Otago University Press, RRP $25): Essential New Zealand Poems: Facing the Empty Page, selected by Siobhan Harvey, Harry Ricketts and James Norcliffe (Godwit, RRP $45): Siobhan Harvey is an internationally recognised poet who has been critically acclaimed through…
Whimsical work a little gem
Edwin’s Egg and Other Poetic Novellas, by Cilla McQueen (Otago University Press, RRP $40): Former New Zealand Poet Laureate Cilla McQueen has produced a cute little collection of poetic novellas that will appeal to her existing fans and also provide a…
Southern connection in highly recommended poetry collection
The Night The Rat Stepped Out, poems by Gary Elford, artwork by Tui Johnson (RRP $20): Christchurch based poet Gary Elford taught at three different schools on the Regent Street site now occupied by Aurora College, Invercargill, for 16 years, so…
Poems from the abbatoir
Writing poetry probably is not a common pastime for blokes working on the chain at the meatworks – but Terry Lynch is not most blokes. In an interview in The Press in 1995, the meatworker said he was almost scared…
Size doesn’t matter … even in poetry
99 Ways Into New Zealand Poetry, by Paula Green and Harry Ricketts (Vintage, RRP $44.99): This massive 624-page beast of a book looks a little daunting at first glance but don’t let the size of the thing put you off.…
Honouring our soldiers in verse
Cassino: City of Martyrs/Citta Martire, by Robert Sullivan (Huia, RRP $30): Poet Robert Sullivan has produced a collection of poetry that pays tribute to those who fought and died in Italy during World War II. The pages of this book…
Stead’s latest offering a real gem
The Black River, by C K Stead (Auckland University Press, $25): It may come as a surprise to some who know me when I say I like poetry. Not the flowery stuff of Shakespeare (no, that’s not an invitation for…