Former high country farmer Des O'Brien, of Queenstown, will launch a collection of his poetry, How Art, in Queenstown today.
The 82-year-old, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, began writing poetry a decade ago after a tutor at a University of Otago summer course encouraged him to publish his poems.
Drawn from everyday experiences, the collection includes poems written since the onset of his illness, focusing on the day-to-day realities of living with Alzheimer's, often in a humorous way.
Alzheimers Otago, which includes Central Otago and Queenstown, will benefit from sales of the book, which is being launched at a function at The Sherwood.
