BRIAN TURNER’s most recent book, his ninth volume of poems, Footfall (Random/Godwit), was published in March 2005. He was the Te Mata Estate NZ Poet Laureate 2003-05. A southerner, born in Dunedin in 1944, Turner lives in the Ida Valley, Central Otago.

Turner comments: ‘The poem “Chances of Revelation”, from which these extracts are taken, was written in a Department of Conservation hut at remote Big Bay, South Westland during the time when I was trying to recover from the break-up of a long-standing relationship. At the time I was demoralised, angry, bewildered and profoundly saddened. The poem was my way of dealing with the mess of recollections and emotions that were refusing to back away.’

 

Poem: Chances of Revelation