Airini BeautraisAirini Beautrais

Airini Beautrais is the author of Secret Heart (VUP, 2006), which was named Best First Book of Poetry in the Montana NZ Book Awards 2007; Western Line (VUP, 2011) Dear Neil Roberts (VUP, 2014), Flow: Whanganui River Poems (VUP, 2017) and short story collection Bug Week (VUP, 2020). She lives in Whanganui.

The anger of Airini Beautrais

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Every story in Bug Week clacks and hums with the anger of women. Here, the author explains why.  Content warning: this article references sexual assault and family violence. It seems like a bit of a self-indulgent exercise writing about the genesis of a book. Books are texts, separable from their authors and the biographical circumstances … Read more

The Friday Poem: Swingball by Airini Beautrais

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A new poem by Whanganui poet Airini Beautrais. Swingball   We’ll rent a holiday home at the beach with all of our children, seven to twenty-seven and everyone will feel enthusiastic.   We’ll take towels and sunblock,  food and other necessities: board games, insect repellent,    beer, a pop-up tent, a swingball set. My children … Read more