'Helen Budge brings to her poetry a keen eye and a clear mind. These give her poems an intensity enriched by her warmth. Many times in this collection a short poem is also a grand poem. It is a pleasure to read and recommend this book.' - Ron Heard, Editor, The Mozzie

'Like the brushstrokes of a Zen painter Helen Budge's poetry reveals the numinous in the familiar.' - Jenny Hetherington, Poet

The poems of The Mandarin Tree convey a particular sense of place with a lucid, playful eye cast over human foibles and the natural world. Moments of stillness and beauty are distilled from the complexity and chaos of the everyday.' - Trish Versteegen, Writer