Time of the Icebergs

Explore the evocative world of *Time of the Icebergs*, a compelling collection of poetry by David Eggleton, penned during his tenure as a Writer-in-Residence at the Michael King Writers Centre in Auckland. This paperback edition, measuring 140 x 210 mm and spanning 88 pages, invites readers into a *dystopian landscape* where the modern chaos of *globalization* meets the rich textures of *Asian-Pacific poetry*. Eggleton's verses capture the essence of our times, capturing the absurdities and complexities of the 21st century—from the commentary on *consumerism* in 'Kate Winslet Promotes a Credit Card' to the biodiversity woes hinted at in 'Not for Human Consumption'. Each poem is a vibrant brushstroke that paints a picture of contemporary culture, landscapes, and the much-debated notion of 'kiwiness'. *Time of the Icebergs* traverses diverse themes such as environmental change, rapid urbanization, and the intricate dance between past traditions and modern realities. With acute observations of life in cities like Suva, Sydney, and Christchurch, this collection resonates with anyone seeking to reflect on the urgent issues of today while holding onto the beauty of the South Pacific region. A must-have addition to your poetry bookshelf, this work offers a unique perspective that will appeal to lovers of *literary collections* and those interested in the broader implications of *ecological poetry* and *social commentary*.

Author: David Eggleton Publisher: Otago University Press
Bind: paperback
Dimensions: 140 x 210 mm
Pages: 88


Much of Time of the Icebergs was written while David Eggleton was a Writer-in-Residence at the Michael King Writers Centre in Auckland in 2009. These are poems about the world we live in, tracing a dystopian present 'hurtling globalisation's highway' where 'Google tells Google that Google saves'. As he says, 'I think of it as a collection for browsing and discovering things: soundscapes, seascapes, landscapes, contemporary politics and contemporary people, histories, traditions, and other things besides.' In this time of winebars and infotainment, 'Ngati Cappucino and Ngati Bogan' stalk the streets bent beneath hoodies and 'boxy four-wheel-drives plane through the wet' piloted by 'yummy mummies'. Titles of poems reflect the absurdities of 21st century existence: 'Kate Winslet Promotes a Credit Card' riffs off an ad in the New Yorker, while 'Not for Human Consumption' and 'Twenty Second Century' hint at the ecological chaos of the modern world. Name-droppers, debt-dodgers, ghettoised gods and 'Vern Acular, that good keen bloke' all make an appearance, as does the lost five-cent coin. Poems set in Suva, Sydney, Christchurch, Auckland and Dunedin locate this book firmly in the South Pacific. Eggleton traverses the country: from Cantabrian landscapes of 'a geology sculpted into fists' and Dunedin 'tipped out of a colonial toy-box' to North Island summer idylls where you could 'follow a jiggle-string of beach pulled taut by the soaraway kite of blue sky'. Nationality and 'kiwiness' are under investigation. This is no mere intellectual exercise as through it all thrums the steady beat of life.