Cresswell, Mary
IN BRIEF
Mary Cresswell is a poet and science editor. Born in Los Angeles, she moved to New Zealand in 1970. Her poetry has appeared in New Zealand, Australian, Canadian, US and UK literary journals. Mark Houlahan writes, ‘Cresswell’s poems often use a taut syllabic verse, with six or four compact syllables tempting the reader into the next line and beyond’. Her book Trace Fossils was published by Steele Roberts in 2011.
ProfilePlace of residence: Kapiti Coast, New Zealand |
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cresswell, Mary (1937 -) is a poet and science editor.
Cresswell is from Los Angeles, and she attended the University of California at Riverside and graduated from Stanford University in California with a degree in history and English literature. She spent time in both Germany and Japan before settling in New Zealand in 1970. Before her retirement in 2010 she worked professionally as a freelance science editor and copy-editor.
A widely published poet, Cresswell’s writing has appeared in New Zealand, Australian, Canadian, US and UK literary journals. She was one of four poets who co-authored Millionaire’s Shortbread (University of Otago, 2003). Her collection of satiric verse, Nearest and Dearest, was published by Steele Roberts in 2009. The US journal Light Quarterly described Nearest and Dearest as “light verse in the high, amusing manner.”
Writing in the Dominion Post in 2004, Mark Houlahan noted that 'Cresswell’s poems often use a taut syllabic verse, with six or four compact syllables tempting the reader into the next line and beyond'. He goes on to describe her work as both 'funny and poetic'.
Her book Trace Fossils was published by Steele Roberts in March 2011. The manuscript of Trace Fossils was first runner-up for the inaugural 2008 Kathleen Grattan award (University of Otago), judged by Fleur Adcock.
Mary Cresswell lives on the Kapiti Coast.
(Last updated: March 2011)
Media links and clips
- 'Squaring the Egg' in Umbrella (New York)
- 'Aubade' in Other Voices (Canada)
- ‘Last Post’ (from Nearest and Dearest)
- 'Recession' (from Nearest and Dearest)
- 'blackwater' in blackmail press)
- 'Appositions' in Umbrella (New York)
- 'Hurricane Wranglers' poem in Turbine (NZ)
- ‘Golden Weather (Cook Strait)’ poem in Best NZ Poems 2005
- Interview of Mary Cresswell by Tim Jones, 23 July 2009
- Interview of Mary Cresswell by Janice Freegard, 27 July 2009
- ‘Pilgrimage’ poem in Snorkel 2010
