Main reading - Chris Tse

New Zealand’s Poet Laureate Chris Tse invites us into his poetry, where identity, heritage, and the power of language converge. In this main lecture, his work takes center stage: a carefully curated selection of poems, chosen especially for this festival. Tse’s poetry is both personal and political, playful yet incisive, exploring themes of migration, queerness, and cultural history. This program, hosted by Jelle van Riet, is a rare opportunity to hear his words come to life, both in their original language and with translation available. Don’t miss this special moment as one of New Zealand’s most significant poets shares his work with us. 

Chris Tse

Chris Tse is a poet, editor, writer, and the current poet laureate of New Zealand (2022-2025). 

He studied English literature, then creative writing for his MA. He aims to use his platform as a poet laureate to move poetry into the mainstream, engaging with younger people. 

His debut, How to Be Dead in a Year of Snakes (2014), won the Jessie Mackay Award. His later collections, HE’S SO MASC (2018) and Super Model Minority (2022), explore queerness and urban night life. He co-edited Here: An Anthology of Takatāpui and LGBTQIA+ Writers from Aotearoa (2021), the first major anthology comprising poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction by queer Aotearoa writers.  

Tse was a fellow of the International Writing Program’s Fall Residency at the University of Iowa in 2024 and is a founding member of the poetry collective Show Ponies.