The Red Tram

From one of New Zealand's most celebrated writers comes this poetry collection that encompasses moving memories of childhood and ruminations on horses and cows, Auckland, and even the author's own legs. These satirical poems take weapons from the writers of the past and skewer politicians of the present, and reflect on a range of international writers, including Allen Curnow, Janet Frame, and Denis Glover. With sometimes biting and often humorous poems that reference both classical Latin poets and contemporary concerns, this collection breathes with an incomparable sense of energy, speed, and force.

C. K. Stead is a leading figure in Commonwealth literature and a professor emeritus at the University of Auckland. He is the author of numerous books, including Dog, The Right Thing, and The Secret History of Modernism.