About Mary Walker
Photo: Amber-Jayne Bain
I am a poet, writer and creator living in a valley nestled at the foot of the Remutaka Ranges in Aotearoa New Zealand.
I acknowledge Maori as tangata whenua and custodians of Aotearoa.
We are a family of five humans, four beloved cats, one dear old dog (see above), plus all the birds and creatures that call this valley home and, of course, the land.
Prior to this creative life I was a lawyer. I left that for… something, anything else. I didn’t know what. So I tried new things, loved working with young people, and ended up happily pursuing questions like what makes humans tick, what are we capable of, what calls us to lead, what kind of leadership actually makes a difference, what is ‘purpose’, what does it mean to follow our callings, who are we and what are we all doing here?
Mostly I love the mystery and magic of being alive. How about you?
This is where I live…
I spend a lot of time at home, outside, often alone, which I love. It’s part of how and why I do what I do. Writing poetry and being held by the land connect me to the most essential part of myself. I hope my writing carries this energy—a sense of connection to our essential self, to Life and to the world around us.
This is what I see
This is what I do
I write poems and I write about living here. Much of it is available to read here on my website. I offer a weekly email poetry subscription called A Beautiful Beginning - Do you receive it? It’s free!
BOOKS
My first book of poetry, Lullaby for Mothers: motherhood in poems, was published in 2019. My second book, The Land Will Hold You was released in 2022, and my third collection, entitled Home, came out in 2025.
WORKSHOPS
I offer poetry workshops and courses about writing and the creative process.
Current workshops include 30 Days of Nature Poetry, and in 2026 series of poetry workshops for those looking to deepen their exploration with writing poetry.
Past courses include the poetry workshops Walk With Me and It’s Not Too Late; Meet Your Creative Self, an 8 week immersion for connecting with your creative self. I also hosted Written, a year-long community for writers, with weekly writing sessions and monthly gatherings.
Stay connected with what’s coming up
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