Australian Poetry notes with sadness the passing of Bruce Dawe, aged 90. Dawe, born in Fitzroy, in 1930, was perhaps the first poet to find a way to turn the lives of suburban Australians into poetry – poems which often had an undertow of elegy, as if in recognition of the provisional nature of so many aspects of post-war life. A fierce critic of the Vietnam War, he left us with some of the most moving work of that period, with poems such as ‘Homecoming’. In later years, he has been both a highly political poet, and one who wrote light verse on topical matters, often contributing to his local Toowoomba newspaper.

He retired from full-time teaching in 1993 and was appointed as the first Honorary Professor of USQ, in recognition of his contribution to the University. A staunch supporter of other poets, he was the benefactor of the Bruce Dawe prize.

We offer our condolences to his family, and to all those who were close to him.

AP Chair, Martin Langford​