Bio
Lee Fraser lives in Aotearoa New Zealand and her full-time occupations have included field linguist and parent. In 2024 she had 22 pieces accepted for publication, in a fine line, the fib review, Given Words, London Grip, Micro Madness, NZPS Anthology 2024, Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2025, Tarot and elsewhere. She came fourth in the 2024 NZ national poetry slam. leefraserpoetry.com
Lee Fraser
Paradise Missed
Despite the forehead kiss
of a climate that isn't, by default, fatal
no cold window sweats, no black ice, lugging five layers –
instead mangoes, passionfruit, coconut trees
breeze-nuzzled arms warm enough year-round –
I miss metallic leaf pile smells
thick sleeves pulled to thumbs
tan status obsolete
skyward bronchials of winter trees
pining for things I don't even love:
blustery bus stops, puffer-barricaded
lads in shorts, yacking rugby, cars, weekends
tiptoed pours on ice-rink windscreen
feet-thawing tingles
home seasons an epistle in invisible ink
that only showed up in perpetual sun