I am Australia's Lorikeet,
I wrote this very fast.
You are a beaut, I thee salute,
Elizabeth the last.

Denis Kevans



Another obit from David Meyers, of the Shiny Bum Singers:

VALE      DENIS KEVANS    Denis Kevans, Australia's "Poet Lorikeet", was widely known in the Australian folk fraternity as a poet, singer, songwriter and great performer. Like his brother Jacko, Denis spent his early years in the Canberra area and was a regular performer with an emerging Monaro Folk Society. He performed and facilitated workshops at local and national folk festivals from the early 1970s.

Denis leaves behind many friends all over the country, and a small number of very close friends who knew him extremely well. I wasn't fortunate to know him that well. I was however lucky enough to know him as a fellow poet and to share accommodation with him on occasions. My lasting memory of him would be watching him pace nervously outside the "Big Top" at the Jamberoo Folk Festival before he took the stage to perform. Once on stage, of course, he was the ultimate performer. He would usually commence his performances with a handful of hilarious two liners, after which he would launch into one of his exquisite poems. Many of his poems were crowd favourites, none more popular than his environmental, audience participation piece, "Concreto". I have always been in awe of the passion with which he both wrote his poetry and with which he performed it. This ability is rare in any circles.

People often forget that Denis was also a very talented singer and songwriter. Over the years he has often performed his own songs. Much of his work has also been performed by other talented artists, including Sonia Bennett.

Denis will be fondly remembered by all those fortunate enough to have shared a moment or two with him or were touched by the passion of his poetry. For mine, Denis was one of Australia's greatest contemporary poets who never got the national recognition he justly deserved. History, I hope, with our help, will find a place for him up there with the likes of other great Australian poets of the likes of Judith Wright, A.D.Hope and David Campbell.

David Meyers 24/8/05