Publisher's Synopsis
This book presents a diverse selection of 144 poems by the New Zealand poet Victor O'Leary (1927-2008.) O'Leary was influenced in his youth by the poetry of R.A.K.Mason and others. He became a friend of poets like Fleur Adcock (who migrated to London where she has won many literary awards) and James K. Baxter, as well as New Zealand prose writers Maurice Shadbolt, Marilyn Duckworth and Barry Crump. Irish poet W.B.Yeats was a great influence on Victor's poetry, which has been categorised as heavily concerned with religion, sex and even moralism, with some strong elements of satire at times. Fleur Adcock, recipient of the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 2006 writes this description of the poet in the preface to his book: 'He was full of ideas and enthusiasms: he could be a bit of a bohemian, a bit of a mystic, and a bit of a beatnik when that fashion came in. He was also a kind and supportive friend, whom I'm happy to see honoured by this publication.'
