Glenn Colquhoun is a doctor, poet and children's writer. He recently published Amazing Tales of Aotearoa, based on A.W Reed's classic children's book of Maori mythology, Wonder Tales of Maoriland.
BOOKS
The Art of Walking Upright
Montana New Zealand Book Awards 2000 winner Best First Book - poetry
Glenn is a doctor; during his training he took a year off to live in a remote Bay of Islands community. This is a profound, beautiful and funny distillation of that experience. Rich insights into Maori and Pakeha - a vision of Aotearoa NZ now and for the future. We've published some very good poetry but this is ... extraordinary. Photos by the author.
"should be compulsory reading"
Evening Post
An Explanation of Poetry to my Father
In this new collection Glenn uses hands-on language and humour to explain poetry to his builder father ("a man of few words") and anyone else not yet captivated with the magic of words.
"Verbs are Estwing hammers... Ideal for putting some whack into a sentence. They come in black and blue and have a good feel hung from a leather pouch firm against you thigh."
Playing God
This new collection of poems is based on Glenn's experiences as a doctor, a profession often described as or accused of "playing God". Often funny, sometimes serious, always compassionate, the poems explore a range of medical experience as diverse and dramatic as life itself.
Mr Short, Mr Thin, Mr Bald & Mr Dog
"Mr Short was very tall.
Mr Thin was fat.
Mr Bald had lots of hair
And Mr Dog kept cats."
Glenn Colquhoun is best known for his four highly-acclaimed collections of poetry: An Explanation of Poetry to my Father, The Art of Walking Upright, Playing God and How We Fell. This wacky picture book is Glenn Colquhoun's third book for children, following 'Uncle Glenn and Me' and 'Uncle Glenn and Me Too'.
Nikki Slade Robinson's bright, lively illustrations chase each other across every page in a unique interpretation of this upside-down world.
How We Fell
Faster than a speeding simile! Able to leap hyperbole in a single bound! Can Poetryman rescue the damsel from catastrophic cliches?
Award-winning poet Glenn Colquhoun's innovative new collection describes his tenyear relationship with his former wife - through all its highs, cries, lies and sighs.
Vivid imagery - colourful storytelling - bittersweet humour - this is poetry for anyone who has ever fallen in, or out, of love.
She kissed me first.
She will deny it
but she did.
I was there at the time
at least
in the beginning ...
Amazing Tales of Aotearoa
Hareata and Brianne were sisters. They lived on a small circle of sand and earth surrounded by the sea. It could have been an island except for an old road that connected it to the hills behind. The circle was called 'That-place-where-Matiretoha-waved-goodbye'. Everybody was too lazy to say 'That-place-where-Matiretoha-waved-goodbye' so they called it 'That-place' instead.
In Amazing Tales of Aotearoa, Hareata and Brianne listen to stories of the gods – how Maui got fire from his grandmother's fingernails; how he fished up the land and slowed the sun; how Rata built a great canoe and Hinemoa swam across a lake to be with Tutanekai. At the same time we learn about all the different people who live in That-place – Hareata and Brianne's aunties and uncles and nephews and nieces. There's Fatty who talks in rap and Tom-Tom who is always fixing things, three old Pine Trees who live on the Point and a big fat snapper swimming in the inlet.