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Michael Walker
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Michael Walker Poems
- Life And Death. I know, or I think I know, where I was born. ...
- A Clairvoyant. I can see your boarding house now, A ...
- A Farewell Note. I worked so long in the shadow of Bob ...
- A Soccer Report. (Haiku) . I played goalkeeper. I coached...
- Tobacco Picking Near Motueka. It was my first experience of ...
- The Last Video Shop. My city used to have video rental ...
- Le Dieu Qui Veille Sur Tout Pe...
I was born in New Plymouth, New Zealand.I went through the education system, high school, and graduated from the University of Auckland with a BA and an MA degree. I taught English and French in a few New Zealand high schools on and off from 1969 till 2006. I travelled to England and France in the early 1970s. I lived and taught English in Grenoble for a couple of years. Here, I spoke French most... more »
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Quotations
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'''BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU' is written on every parking ticket.'''
- M. Walker. George Orwell's novel '1984' ends with the words 'BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU', which I adapted to comment on the mentality of fining pe... -
''In a city, the most precious item for sale is time.''
This is my original thought. I do not like wasting time or have shop assistants keep me waiting unnecessarily. I am impatient. Time is precious.M. Wal... -
'''Poetry springs in silence from meditation and research.Poems also need to express genuine emotion to be convincing'.''
My own idea, based on my own experience. I need absolute quiet for writing, no radio, nothing. For some dramatic monologues, like 'A Farewell Note', I... -
'''You say save the trees: I say save the people'.''
I am influenced by June Jordan's anti-green thought. I was like this long before, too. To me, people and their needs are more important than trees-the... -
'''Life is not fair. Nothing is fair'.''
Murray Parker, b.1944, is a former NZ cricket player, whose son, Mark, was killed in the terrorist attack in a Bali nightclub,2002. I agree with Murra...
Life And Death.
I know, or I think I know, where I was born.
New Plymouth, a city with two sprawling cemeteries,
where I found my grandparents' gravestones at last,
but they were covered in gray lichen and moss.
The kindly sexton said she would spray the gravestones
and I will go back to see them cleaned and clarified.
My grandparents were always there for me in Morley Street.
They taught me table manners and how to arrange cutlery.
My grandfather and I used to watch the cricket
at Pukekura Park, then we would wander around the lake,
seeing the sleek canoes ...
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I must translate it in Chinese...
Michael Walker, a New Zealand poet who travels with wonderful poems through his life.
Michael walker is a great poet and a good friend..God bless you..
Thanks again Rajnish. What I value most in your comment is that I have powers of observation That is true: i look for small details in any situation. The fine print.
Another point which in my opinion would be essential to mention while writing about you as a poet is your skills as a translator of contemporary poetry from New Zealand as well as from other regions. You also make us familiar with the concerned poets and their lives and struggles through your well researched Notes. We remain thankful to you for your remarkable contribution, Michael.
One important thing which I recall again and again about your writings is your power of observation. Even the minute details of a topic under reference would hardly escape your attention e.g. your description of coins and currency in one of your poems and name of places in a series of other poems was just mind-blowing.
Hi! Michael, I'm so happy and I acknowledge with thanks and humility your most generous comments about me and my poetry. I have always been learning a lot from my great poet friends like you. I admire your travelogues and poems relating to your past and present tours undertaken from time to time. I wish I could write such pen sketches which make even a common street look like a picture gallery. My Regards & Good Wishes.
I consider Michael Walker an outstanding poet. A kinder, gentier person cannot be found. Michael translated my poem, My Question into french. I consider him to be New Zealand's Poet Laureate and I consider him as one of my best friends! ! ! !
On behalf of all fellow poets, Poem Hunter Family and our Mahakul family we offer a title of honour to poet Michael Walker as, Grand Hymn. From today on wards he will be known as Grand Hymn Michael Walker. We hope all poets and visitors will accept this. We congratulate poet for having this honorary title and we are wishing him all the best for his future perseverance.
Yes Robert, I did translate many English poems into French, but now I am resolved to write only my own poems in English. That is a higher skill than translating, in which you give the thoughts of another poet not your own. As a bonus, though, I have learned ideas and linguistic devices from the poets whom I translated. I like to think that my writing improved because of it. Michael Walker.