James K. Baxter (1926–1972)
Author of Collected Poems
About the Author
Considered New Zealand's most significant poet, James K. Baxter has also been called one of the most remarkable English-language poets of the mid-twentieth century. Born into an educated family in New Zealand, he spent most of his life there and became a much-loved and respected figure in his show more homeland. Starting out as something of a boy prodigy in the field of poetry, Baxter went on to face alcoholism, then to convert to Catholicism. In his last years, some considered him a saint as he wandered around New Zealand "barefoot, long-bearded, patched and baggy." Baxter published his first poetry in 1944. He also wrote about 20 plays-many of them produced successfully-four books of literary commentary and criticism, numerous religious essays, and fiction. His Collected Poems is still available, but most of his work in other genres is out of print. Collected Poems won a 2016 Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) Book Design Awards, Gerard Reid Award for best book and Best non-illustrated book (designed by Spencer Levine and Fergus Barrowman). Believing strongly in the poet's vocation, in the poet as a prophet, Baxter was also a skilled artist. His work, which is characterized by a technical conservatism and an adherence to formality, reflects his familiarity with a wide range of poets, including the English romantics, Greek and Latin poets, and modernists, such as Yeats, Hopkins, and Hardy. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Works by James K. Baxter
The holy life and death of Concrete Grady : various uncollected and unpublished poems (1976) 5 copies
Six faces of love, 5 copies
A small ode to mixed flatting 4 copies
Ode to Auckland & other poems 4 copies
Recent trends in New Zealand poetry 4 copies
A death song for Mr Mouldybroke 3 copies
The Junkies & The Fuzz 2 copies
Howrah Bridge, and other poems 2 copies
James K. Baxter : Complete Prose : Dunedin and Christchurch: the Early Years, 1943-1948 : The Wellington Years, 1949-1965 : Vol. 1 (2015) 2 copies
Rain 2 copies
Four God Songs 2 copies
The fallen house : poems 2 copies
Ballad of Calvary Street 1 copy
New Zealand in Colour 1 copy
Chosen poems, 1958 1 copy
Verse 1951 1 copy
The Seagull : Vol. 6 1 copy
Traveller's Litany 1 copy
Oil 1 copy
The Ships : Vol. 4 1 copy
Ode to Auckland 1 copy
Chosen Poems 1 copy
The Coaster 1 copy
The Trawler 1 copy
A Selection of Poetry 1 copy
The Fireman : Vol. 5 1 copy
Associated Works
Edexcel Poetry Anthology for Advanced subsidiary and advanced GCE examinations in English Literature (2000) — Contributor, some editions — 6 copies
The Colour of Distance: New Zealand Writers in France, French Writers in New Zealand (2006) — Contributor — 3 copies
Lie deep my love : 4 pt mixed vocals choir and soloists — Author — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Baxter, James Keir
- Birthdate
- 1926-06-29
- Date of death
- 1972-10-22
- Gender
- male
- Education
- University of Otago
Wellington Teachers' Training College
Victoria University of Wellington - Occupations
- poet
postal worker
teacher
editor
critic
social commentator - Awards and honors
- Robert Burns Fellowship (1966)
Robert Burns Fellowship (1967) - Relationships
- Sturm, J. C. (Jacquie Baxter) (wife)
Baxter, Archibald (father)
Baxter, Millicent (mother) - Nationality
- New Zealand
- Birthplace
- Dunedin, New Zealand
- Places of residence
- Jerusalem, New Zealand
Dunedin, New Zealand (birthplace)
Wellington, New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand - Place of death
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Burial location
- Jerusalem, New Zealand
- Associated Place (for map)
- New Zealand
Members
Reviews
Terse, so very kiwi, this superb novella is marred only by the era in which it was written, and knowledge we now have that Baxter's world was as chauvinistic as Horse's. Sexual utilitarianism included, this is a brutal representative of the bleak coming of age, man alone literature that was birthed by figures like John Mulgan and executed, we might hope by Keri Hulme and others. Brutalist depiction of an era that staggered from fuck to hangover to petty crime to groggy insight only to begin show more the cycle again. show less
In the same way that he broke his poetry down to simple forms, divested of polish, this book is - really - a collection of christian thought broken down in the same way. Simple christian ideas bounded intimately to everyday occurrences around the Jerusalem community.
A bit much Jesus for me, really - and I'm kinda tolerant - but a lovely, simple book all the same.
A bit much Jesus for me, really - and I'm kinda tolerant - but a lovely, simple book all the same.
Coffee table size illustrated book with excellent descriptions of the photographs.
Lists
Awards
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Statistics
- Works
- 88
- Also by
- 9
- Members
- 525
- Popularity
- #47,376
- Rating
- 4.0
- Reviews
- 3
- ISBNs
- 59
- Favorited
- 1