Taking Off

Beneath the wit, the no-nonsense honesty, the rigorous clarity of sense and the sinewy rhythmic energy of the poems’ surfaces runs the craft of a sophisticated, confident and well-read poet.”

—The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature" Brian Turner’s first book of poems, Ladders of Rain, won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize. He has published five other critically acclaimed collections and has written in a wide range of other genres. He lives in Central Otago, New Zealand.