Peter Bland was born in Yorkshire in 1934 and emigrated to New Zealand twenty years later, for many years dividing his time between the two countries. He was associated with the Wellington group of poets which included James K Baxter and Louis Johnson, and is now a much-loved part of the Auckland poetry scene. Bland has written plays, poems, children's books and a memoir, and is the recipient of numerous awards for his poetry including the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Excellence.