Which poets were important in New Zealand before the 1920s?

In the context of New Zealand literature, the period before the 1920s is often characterized by immigrant writers who were essentially Britishers abroad, struggling to adapt their literary traditions to a new environment. Consequently, notable writing from this era is more frequently found in journals, letters, and factual accounts rather than in poetry or fiction.1

However, several poets were active and considered competent versifiers during the 19th century and early 20th century:

• Alfred Domett: Known for Ranolf and Amohia (1872), a significant, if premature, attempt to create an epic work based on the New Zealand landscape.1
• John Barr: A Scottish dialect poet who wrote in the tradition of Robert Burns.1
• David McKee Wright: A poet who echoed the Australian bush ballad tradition.1
• William Pember Reeves: A New Zealand-born poet who later wrote nostalgic verses from the perspective of a colonist while living in Britain.1
• Blanche Edith Baughan: Published Reuben, and Other Poems in 1903, and is noted as one of the first poets to stand out before the 1920s.1

Additionally, the Maori people maintained a rich oral tradition of poetry and song (waiata) long before European settlement, which included laments, love songs, and chants.2