In his anticipated third collection, Native Bird, award-winning poet Bryan Walpert – who arrived here from the U.S. a decade ago – writes of what it’s been like to be an observer or “birdwatcher” in a land whose physical and cultural geographies he is still learning to name. With his trademark precision and insight, Bryan weaves meditations on the life and songs of birds into his observations on living as a new settler in wind-charged Manawatu. Working at the shifting borders between homes and hearts, prose and poetry, call and song, this is an arresting collection that speaks to us all.

If you’re in Dunedin this week, please join us at the Dunedin Public Library for launches of Bryan’s new poetry collection, Native Bird, as part of Makaro Press’s Hoopla Series, alongside collections by Carolyn McCurdie (Bones in the Octagon) and Jennifer Compton (Mr Clean & The Junkie).