New Zealand Writers

BILBROUGH, Paola

Her poems contain tightly coiled narratives and often feature characters other than herself.

BILBROUGH, Paola (1971- ) was born on Waiheke Island, but grew up in Wellington. Her first book of poetry, Bell Tongue (VUP, 1999) follows publication in a number of magazines, including London Magazine, Heat, Landfall, Sport and Stand.

Her work is preoccupied by the way in which landscape and climate mold people and the sense of dislocation that new landscapes and climates cause.

The poems contain tightly coiled narratives and often feature characters other than herself. She sees her work as being influenced and inspired by both the restraint and minimalism of Japanese poetry, and the surreal intensity and sensuality of many poets writing in Spanish.

(Publisher press release.)

• Wild Child - an interview with Paola Bilborough