Dr Cilla McQueen, one of New Zealand’s most distinguished poets of her generation and a resident of Bluff for the past 25 years, has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in this year’s Queen’s Birthday New Zealand Royal Honours. 

She has published 15 volumes of poetry and the list of her accolades is impressive. It includes three New Zealand Book Awards for Poetry (1983, 1989 and 1991), an honorary doctorate in literature granted by the Otago University in 2008, being named the New Zealand Poet Laureate (2009 -2011), and receiving the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement (2010).

Priscilla (Cilla) Muriel McQueen was born in Birmingham, England in 1949. Her parents moved to Australia and then to New Zealand when she was four years old. The family settled in Dunedin where Cilla spent her early formative years, was educated at Columba College, and in 1971 completed a Master's degree with 1st class Honours in French language and literature at the University of Otago.  

After graduating she returned to Columba College to take up the job of a French teacher and also taught languages at St Hilda’s Collegiate School. At 35, with two books of her poems published and her first NZ Book Award under her belt, Cilla decided to became a full time writer. She admits it was difficult to make a living from writing alone. 

“I had some savings and received money from Creative New Zealand grants, prizes, mentoring young writers, readings, writers' festivals.”

In 1996 she moved to Bluff, where she continues to live and write. 

“I love language and working with words. I love writing about landscape and beauty,” she says.

Her poetry is primarily about the Otago and Southland regions, with a particular focus on weather, landscapes, people and history. 

She refers to her moving to Bluff as “going South”, alluding to her parents’ journey from England to Australia and then to New Zealand. She loves Bluff and its raw beauty.

“It may be cold here, but Bluff has a very warm heart,” she muses.

Asked if in her opinion poets were born or made, Cilla’s answer was “both”.

“I was born a poet, but later I continued to develop my poetry through hard work,” she says, noting that she started writing poetry as a child when she was at school, and that she still writes every day.

Dr McQueen says she is honoured to be appointed a Member of the NZ Order of Merit.

“This is very special, because I’ve been working here in Bluff by myself, although I keep closely in touch with my literary colleagues elsewhere. It’s good for Bluff to have a resident poet, encouraging interest in the arts and literature.”