Anne-Marie Te Whiu on new book of poetry, Mettle, and why she dedicated it to her younger self

Anne-Marie Te Whiu is generous. Quick to laugh and to smile. There is a slight lag online as we speak on video call; she forgives it. The lag makes it feel, at times, like our conversation is in dialogue with itself.

The first thing I ask Te Whiu — the Australian-born Māori writer and editor…