The Best of Best New Zealand Poems

by Bill Manhire (Editor), Damien Wilkins (Editor)

The Best of Best New Zealand Poems is a colourful and diverse portrait of the current robust health of New Zealand poetry.

For ten years, guest editors have chosen their 25 favourite poems published in the previous year, for publication in the online Annual, Best New Zealand Poems, hosted by International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University.

For this book, editors Bill Manhire and Damien Wilkins have chosen the top 65 poems. They are reproduced here with the poets’ biographies and personal statements about the inspirations of their poems.

From Fleur Adcock, ‘Having Sex with the Dead’, to Ashleigh Young, ‘and certain trees reach for me’ . . .

Contributors include: Chris Orsman, Tusiata Avia, C K Stead, Michele Amas, Angela Andrews, James Brown, Johanna Aitchison, Andrew Johnston, Jennifer Compton, Lynn Davidson, John Gallas, Fleur Adcock, Hinemoana Baker and Ashleigh Young.

Genres: Poetry

223 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2011

About the author

Bill Manhire was born in Invercargill in 1946. He was his country's inaugural Poet Laureate and has won the New Zealand Book Award for Poetry four times. He holds a personal chair at the Victoria University of Wellington, where he directs the celebrated creative writing programme and the International Institute of Modern Letters. His volume of short fiction, South Pacific, was published by Carcanet in 1994.

Reviews

[Sheri Fresonke Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this collection of New Zealand poems while visiting. Much of what I was experiencing in terms of culture and environment was strongly evident. The voices of the poets were unique to this country and added to my enjoyment of my visit.

[Finn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not quite sure I understood many (most) of the poems, but it was an interesting experience and I hope I’ll be able to read more deeply in the future.

Inspired by this RNZ interview on NZ reading rates: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/progra...

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would like to re-read this. Need to have on-hand for inspiration and reflection