9 Oct 2025

Poet Serie Barford on new poetry collection and facing death

From Nights, 9:25 pm on 9 October 2025

'Biological bombs on short fuses, lymph nodes dancing a cancerous fandango.'

That's a line from a new book by performance poet and short fiction writer, Serie Barford.

Of Sāmoan-Palagi descent, her work has been in publication since the 80s.

Serie is currently receiving hospice care for her cancer, and she says her new book, Standing on my Shadow, may be her last.

She joined Emile Donovan.

Serie Barford is a performance poet and short fiction writer.

Serie Barford is a performance poet and short fiction writer. Photo: Serie Barford Anahera Press