Selected Poems

There are “selected poems,” and then there are Selected Poems—the kind that arrive with quiet authority, as if to say: this is what remains after the dust has settled, the drafts have been forgotten, and the poet has had a long, hard think about what was worth keeping. Allen Curnow’s 1982 Penguin volume falls very much into that latter category, bringing together work that has already stood the test of time and now sits, slightly austere and entirely self-assured, in a modest paperback format.

Curnow, often described (with varying degrees of reverence) as one of New Zealand’s defining poetic voices, writes with a clarity that can feel deceptively simple—until you realise that what looked like a straightforward line has quietly opened up into something much larger. These are poems that tend to linger, not because they insist on being noticed, but because they have a habit of circling back later, usually when you’re not expecting it.

This selection spans a body of work shaped by place, history, and the occasional existential shrug. Landscapes appear, time shifts, perspectives tilt slightly, and throughout it all there’s a sense that the poet is both part of the world he’s describing and gently questioning it at the same time. It’s not showy, it’s not overly eager to impress, and it certainly isn’t going to explain itself—but that’s rather the point.

Published by Penguin in 1982, the book has the reassuringly practical design of the era: portable, readable, and entirely unconcerned with whether it looks good on social media (a freedom modern books can only dream of). This particular copy is listed as Good, which in Crappy Old Books terms suggests a respectable amount of prior engagement. The spine may have relaxed a little, the cover may show signs of having travelled, and the pages may carry the faint suggestion that someone before you paused over certain passages with interest, confusion, or possibly both.

It’s not the sort of book you read in a single sitting, unless you’re feeling unusually determined. More likely, it will sit nearby, occasionally opened, occasionally pondered, quietly doing its work over time. Whether you’re revisiting Curnow, discovering him for the first time, or simply adding another Penguin spine to your collection, it offers exactly what it promises—selected poems, thoughtfully chosen, patiently presented, and entirely unconcerned with rushing the experience.

A measured, reflective volume that rewards attention without demanding it, and a perfectly respectable way to suggest that your reading habits extend beyond the immediate and into the quietly enduring.

Keep browsing: See more Poetry books Other books by Allen Curnow