Hilary Baxter

Taranaki, Te Whakatōhea

1949 -

Hilary Baxter is the daughter of James K. Baxter and Jacqueline Sturm and was educated at Wellington Girls and Onslow College. She began writing at the age of fourteen and in the mid 1960s published poems in Otago University magazines, Otago Review and Earwig. She published her first collection of poetry The Other Side of Dawn in 1987.

Biographical sources

  • Phone conversation with Hilary Baxter, Sept. 1998.
  • The Other Side of Dawn. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987.

    Poetry

  • "Chariots Of Defence." Otago University Students Association Review ‘67. Eds. John Dickson and Roger Strang. Dunedin, N.Z.: Otago Daily Times with Otago University Students’ Association, [1967]. 13.
  • The speaker recalls the passion of an old love affair.
  • "Aorangi." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 24. (1967)
  • A poem identifying the broken landscape and memories of the faces of Māori chiefs.
  • "Puhoi (North of Auckland)." Frontiers 1.3 (1968): 7.
  • The speaker berates the restrictions of human structures barricading her journey to the sea.
  • "The Only Funeral." Frontiers 1.3 (1968): 8. Rpt. in Poetry Dunedin, N.Z. 1969. Ed. Hal Smith. Dunedin, N.Z.: Dunedin Poetry Workshop with the assistance of the Bibliography Room, U of Otago, 1969. 10.
  • A lament focussing on lost land and a Māori funeral.
  • "Innocence." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 22. (1969)
  • A tale of a country lad who escapes to the city only to find more entrapment.
  • "October 1972." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 32 (1973). Rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 5: Te Torino: The Spiral. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1996. 168.
  • A response to the death of her father James K Baxter.
  • "One of the Gang." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 7.
  • The inner workings of a female gang member with her misgivings, lust for excitement and transitory deeper encounters with male gang members.
  • "Caritas." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 8.
  • In this short meditation, love is likened to wind that is strong enough to topple "pines/on the mountain."
  • "Before a New Day." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 9.
  • A poem about the certainty of light and love emerging from "darkness/and obscurity."
  • "To My Mother." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 10.
  • The poet writes of the moon and its desire to claim people back to itself.
  • "People of the Invisible." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 11.
  • A poem of astral travel.
  • "For A Bikie." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 12-13.
  • The poet writes of the fleeting interaction between a bikie and the speaker.
  • "Early Bikie Days." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 14-16.
  • The speaker recalls her wild days as bikie.
  • "While the Rain Falls Before the Fruit." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 17-18.
  • The poet reflects on a lost relationship.
  • "Reincarnation." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 19.
  • A fantasy of time travel.
  • "Suburban Autumn." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 21.
  • A descriptive account of autumnal Dunedin, N.Z.
  • "The Hot House Angel." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 23.
  • An evocation of the emptiness of an urban world as perceived by two drug addicts.
  • "For You Know Who." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 25.
  • The reflections of a train traveller.
  • "Boyle Crescent Auckland." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 26.
  • A memory of an addict’s life in Auckland.
  • "Auckland ‘69." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 27.
  • A memory of a relationship between two addicts in Auckland.
  • "North Winds Blowing." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 28-29.
  • The speaker recalls aspects of a relationship.
  • "Poem." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 30.
  • Reminiscences of the past.
  • "The Twilight Zone." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 31.
  • The poet writes of a prescient image foretelling her father’s death.
  • "To Totality." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 33.
  • A reflection on perspectives of reality and time.
  • "May She At The Heart." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 34.
  • A call for acknowledgment.
  • "I Am Going Back." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 35.
  • A poem of returning to the land and marae.
  • "Where the Sun Shines Down..." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 36.
  • A call to love in the midst of anger.
  • "Up The Cold Sea Road." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 37.
  • A narrative of late night train travel.
  • "To Read In the Books." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 38.
  • "An Inspiration From the Mob." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 39.
  • A poem about dominance in relationships.
  • "In A Timelocked." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 40.
  • A brief poem about injustice.
  • "Today Good Friday." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 41.
  • The poet writes of her response to some bikies.
  • "Hey Road-Runner." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 42.
  • A poem with evocations of Guy Fawkes.
  • "Yah Hey Friday Night..." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 43.
  • Reflections on a Friday night in Darwin.
  • "For Johnno." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 44-45.
  • A poem of aloneness, pain and restoration of a friendship.
  • "Beyond A Darwin Sunset." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 47.
  • A poem with evocations of returning to the Garden.
  • "Afflicted." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 48.
  • The speaker dreams of a tropical sea coast.
  • "To Wait." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 51.
  • A poem of waiting for another.
  • The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987.
  • A collection of poetry about relationships, gang life, inner landscapes and reflections of the past.
  • "White Rain Falls before the Fruit." 1968. OUSA Literary Review 1888-1988. Dunedin, N.Z.: OUSA, 1988. 92.
  • "Reminiscence." The Other Side of Dawn. Ed. Juliet Raven and Jane Bowron. Wellington, N.Z.: Spiral, 1987. 20. Rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 5: Te Torino: The Spiral. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1996. 170.
  • Reminiscences of childhood walks in the Karori bush with her father.
  • "I Sing To Myself." ibid. 46. Rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 5: Te Torino: The Spiral. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1996. 168-169.
  • The poet writes of her separation from her homeland.
  • "Darwin." ibid. 49-50. Rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 5: Te Torino: The Spiral. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1996. 169-170.
  • The poet writes of an interlude with a friend on a Sunday.