Michele Leggott's latest book of poetry, Face to the Sky, explores her encounter with 19th-century New Zealand botanical artist Emily Cumming Harris.
But there's more to this story - Michele was battling non-Hodgkin's lymphoma while working on the book.
In early 2020, Michele received her diagnosis, just as the Covid-19 lockdowns began. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and a stem cell transplant in 2021 failed to cure her cancer. Finally, in early 2022, Michele was able to participate in a CAR T-cell therapy trial at the Malaghan Institute in Wellington.
This is Michelle's eleventh collection of poetry. She's a former New Zealand Poet Laureate, co-founder of the New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre, and recipient of the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement in Poetry. In 2017, she was even elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
Michele Leggott Photo: supplied
