Paul Stevens

Paul Stevens with his wife,
cashing in on their children's
gift of a helicopter ride.

     The online poetry world has suffered a horrendous loss.  Three days ago Paul Stevens lost his long battle with liver cancer.  From his biography on TheHyperTexts we know Paul was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire but lived most of his life in New South Wales, Australia, teaching literature and history.  He was editor of three popular poetry webzines:  Shit Creek Review, The Flea and The Chimaera.  A passionate fighter for equality, Paul was a compelling advocate of progressive causes. 

     Not being inclined to travel to a continent that boasts 17 of the world's 20 deadliest snakes, I never had the pleasure of meeting Paul face-to-face.  Nevertheless, I knew him well from online critical fora such as Eratosphere and the recently rejuvenated Alsop Review Gazebo.

     When the history of online poetry is written Paul Stevens will be mentioned alongside his friend, the late Margaret Ann Griffiths, Peter John Ross, Christine Klocek-Lim, Howard Miller, John Boddie and few others.  Through his critique, especially on Gazebo, he brought to the fore both of the two greatest poems of our time.

     I grieve for his family and friends.  Most of all, I grieve for those who never knew him. 

     Paul will always be Australia to me.

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And all the way home:
At last to sail free
Between southern capes
Thick with kelp and wild foam,

With wave awash, surging,
Late sun on the headland,
And shadow down valley
Past all memory.

   - from Map of Tasmania by Paul Stevens, originally published in The Road Not Taken.

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