in the cracks of light

Apirana Taylor’s 'in the cracks of light' is a masterful collection of minimalist verse, offering seventy-three short poems that are rich in emotional and intellectual depth. His seventh poetry collection, and fourth with Canterbury University Press, it reaffirms Taylor’s place as one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most compelling voices.

Taylor’s work engages deeply with te taiao (the natural world), colonisation, and Māori identity. These themes are seamlessly woven together, with the personal, political, and ecological made inseparable. His poems are meditative yet urgent, each line carrying a quiet power. In poems like Rank, the lasting effects of colonial land use are starkly rendered, as pine plantations replace native forests, scarring the land and disrupting whakapapa.

The strength of this collection lies in its restraint. Taylor uses language sparingly, yet every word resonates. His poems are accessible without being simplistic, offering the reader room to reflect and find their own meanings. Nature is not just backdrop but living presence, calling readers to be active participants in the land’s rhythms and stories.

Taylor’s poetry is notable for its clarity, compassion, and quiet defiance. Rather than preaching, it invites; rather than overwhelming, it distils. It honours memory, celebrates survival, and insists on connection to the whenua, to whakapapa, and to each other.

Once again, Taylor brings a rich collection of new poems that demonstrate that he is a force in the modern poetry landscape. A truly remarkable poet.