REQUIEM FOR A FRUIT

Second book of poems. 

Published by Tender Press (formerly We Are Babies Press), 08 December 2021

• Interview with Theo Macdonald for 95bFM Artbank about Requiem for a Fruit, December 2021. Listen here.
• Book Critic with Pip Adam, discussion of Requiem for a Fruit on RNZ Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan, December 2021. Listen here.
• ‘2021 Sucked but There Were Still Unforgettable Moments’, The Pantograph Punch editors’ highlights. Read here.
• Requiem for a Fruit on Goodreads.

Reviews

“…magnificent. Electrifying. I recommend it highly.” – Paula Green, NZ Poetry Shelf

Illustrated review (excerpt above) by Theo Macdonald, MetroMagazine 434

“For this poet, what can be understood about life seems kind of slippery. They’re constantly peering at the undersides of existence. They question accepted explanations and point out humour where other poets might write angst-filled sonnets. That’s not to say that anxiety is dismissed; rather, it’s sort of loved into another existence.” – Abigail Marshall, Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2023

Commentary

“Rachel O’Neill’s newly released Requiem for a Fruit (We Are Babies Press) shares something of the surreal spirit of prose poetry maestro Charles Simic: its poems will rearrange your brain.”

– Chris Price for NZ Poetry Shelf

“Requiem for a Fruit (We Are Babies) is Rachel O’Neill’s delightfully offbeat second collection that I just can’t get enough of. Weird, but never alienating, the poems in Rachel’s book are populated with characters who confront the strangeness of daily life and give in to the curious ideas and thoughts we often attempt to suppress. Proof that they are without a doubt one of Aotearoa’s most unique writers.”

– Chris Tse for NZ Poetry Shelf

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ONE HUMAN IN HEIGHT

Published by ​Hue​ ​&​ ​Cry​ ​Press in 2013

reviews

‘…The​ ​balance​ ​between​ ​the​ ​matter-of-fact​ ​tone,​ ​the​ ​surreal​ ​situation​ ​and​ ​the​ ​yearning​ ​for human​ ​contact​ ​is​ ​stunning​ ​…​ ​O’Neill’s​ ​tongue​ ​sings,​ ​her​ ​eye​ ​is​ ​objective,​ ​her​ ​heart compassionate.’​ ​​-​ ​NZ​ ​Listener

‘I​ ​think​ ​this​ ​a​ ​magnificent​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​writing…’​ ​​Gregory​ ​O’Brien,​ ​Saturday​ ​Morning,​ ​Radio​ ​NZ

‘Unarmed​ ​is​ ​the​ ​perfect​ ​word​ ​to​ ​sum​ ​up​ ​the​ ​sensation​ ​generated​ ​by​ ​reading​ ​Rachel​ ​O’Neill’s clever,​ ​thought-provoking​ ​first​ ​book.’​ ​​-​ ​Siobhan​ ​Harvey,​ ​Beattie’s​ ​Book​ ​Blog

‘This​ ​is​ ​a​ ​glorious​ ​debut.​ ​These​ ​poems​ ​show​ ​the​ ​way​ ​you​ ​can​ ​hold​ ​any​ ​occasion,​ ​object, person​ ​or​ ​place​ ​in​ ​your​ ​mind​ ​and,​ ​like​ ​a​ ​prism,​ ​watch​ ​it​ ​shimmer​ ​and​ ​shine​ ​with​ ​little​ ​stories that​ ​hook​ ​tufts​ ​of​ ​truth​ ​and​ ​fabrication,​ ​self​ ​and​ ​knowing,​ ​illusions​ ​and​ ​strange​ ​kinks,​ ​and everyday​ ​bric-a-brac.​ ​I​ ​am​ ​in​ ​love​ ​with​ ​this​ ​book.’​ ​​ -​​ ​ ​Paula​ ​Green