Afternoon

About

Brian Turner is a New Zealand author and poet based in rural Central Otago. His poems often relate to South Island landscapes, nature and environmental concerns. He captures the quintessential aspects of a New Zealand experience that has become increasingly rare with growing urbanisation and capitalism. “Afternoon” is from his poetry collection “Ladders of Rain” published in 1978 and captures the whimsical longings of the author lying beside a river on a still afternoon. This setting, by Auckland based composer Chris Adams, is intentionally sparse and lyrical, with the primary focus on the text. There is subtle word painting and sonic references drawing on elements of the poem.