Fish Stories reel in the reader

A section of the cover of Fish Stories - a new collection of poetry by Mary Cresswell. Image / supplied

The latest collection of poetry from Mary Cresswell has been published by Canterbury University Press.

In the collection titled Fish Stories, Cresswell builds on her experiments with ghazal, a traditional form of Middle Eastern and Indian lyric poetry.

Cresswell says readers will enjoy the collection's variety and will find humour in her work.

"It is accessible poetry, using rhyme, varying poetic structures and a range of topics. Readers will find humour, surprises and a jumping-off point for their own thoughts," she says.

Cresswell says she hopes that the collection will encourage other poets look at the way they work and also appeal to those reading for pleasure.

"It collects observations of the outside world and different ways of writing poems.

"I want to encourage other poets to use formal verse and rhyme, as I think it's rewarding and fun, and I want to show readers poems which are both thought provoking and a pleasure to read."

Cresswell says the collection is "not confessional, not an emotional diary and not an autobiography".

Fish Stories has been designed and printed in collaboration with Ilam Press and the School of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury. It is published by Canterbury University Press.