Jacquie Baxter (wife) and Stephanie Baxter (granddaughter) at the unveiling of the gravestone of James K. Baxter at Jerusalem on the banks of the Whanganui River. Baxter died on 22 October 1972 and this stone was unveiled a year later.
James K. Baxter in 1971
James K. Baxter in March 1971.
James K. Baxter
Acknowledged as New Zealand’s most accomplished poet, Baxter is also well-known for his wild lifestyle and the religious community he established on the banks of the Whanganui River.
Archibald Baxter's 'We will not cease' cover
Cover of We will not cease: the autobiography of a conscientious objector by Archibald Baxter
First published in 1939 by Victor Gollanez, this 1968 edition is by Caxton Press, and it includes an additional foreword by the author.
Poetry and drama - New Zealand literature
Poetry
The forties and fifties were favourable times for poets and poetry, and lively communities of poets sprang up in the main centres, particularly Wellington and Auckland. Debate about the nature of poetry led to some heated exchanges.
Death of poet James K. Baxter
Acknowledged as one of New Zealand’s most accomplished poets, Baxter had devoted the last years of his life to social work among alcoholics and drug addicts. He died in Auckland, aged 46, soon after leaving the commune he had founded several years earlier at Jerusalem on the Whanganui River.
Fictional writing - New Zealand literature
The novel and the short story
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