Songs of the Blue Mountains
Denis Kevans went to the Blue Mountains to live in 1983. He started walking through the valleys and tracks of the Wentworth Falls areas.
"I saw a vein of orange ironstone in a slab of weathered sandstone, and I thought — 'the gifted stone'. This was the first poem I wrote for the Mountains."
Since then, Denis, known as Australia's Poet Lorikeet, has written scores of poems and songs for the Mountains. Many of the poems have been set to music by Sonia Bennett. They won two first prizes with "The Beauty of the World" and "The Valley of the Waters".
Their work has now been recorded: one hour of "Songs of the Blue Mountains" for the ABC. The hour includes songs, poems and commentary.
Songs include "The Beauty of the World", "The Valley of the Waters, "Mountain Waters", "Learn all Their Songs", "Sweet Lyrebird", "Lungs of Green", "Blow Leaves" and "Bushland Gardens".
"The tape is being mixed, and we expect it will be broadcast on 'Songs and Yarns of Australia' in a few months", Denis said. n