Jenny Bornholdt 

Jenny Bornholdt’s most recent collection is Mrs Winter’s Jump, (Godwit, Random House, 2007).  She has written seven other books of poetry, including a selected poems: Miss New Zealand (Victoria University Press, 1997). Jenny was the Te Mata Estate New Zealand Poet Laureate in 2005/2006.

Bornholdt comments: ‘ “Mrs Winter’s Jump” is the title of a piece of music by English composer John Dowland (1563-1626). My husband played this on the guitar late at night during a year when I was largely confined to bed, or hospital, because of severe hip pain. This poem was written as I began to recover – it was summer, we were outside, and Greg was playing “Mrs Winter’s Jump”. I’d always liked the title, imagining a woman gathering up her skirts and leaping – something I wasn’t able to do at the time. Also, during a period of illness people can become distant from each other as each tries to cope with what’s happening, and on this particular afternoon I felt some hope that life could be alright again. So yes, it’s a happy poem.’ 

Poem: Mrs Winter’s Jump 

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