From Denver: The not-so-elusive Poet Devan Kingsford

Although Devan Kingsford fancies himself as an elusive poet, he keeps a high profile on the streets of downtown Denver. He stakes out a spot in front of the Tattered Cover Book Store on 16^th Street, where he sits at a desk, with an old typewriter, and his dog, and writes poems on demand.  In fact, the name of his business is Poetry on Demand. He doesn’t charge per poem, but gladly accepts donations. 

Devan states he didn’t come up with the idea. Instead he joined a movement. For decades, there have been typewriter posts all across the nation. One day about two years ago, he was in Santa Fe trying to sell chap books of his poetry on the street when he met another sidewalk poet. She brought him into the fold, and he has never turned back.  Poetry on Demand is his only job.

The great thing about Devan’s job is that it allows for travel.  He can go north in the summer and south in the winter. According to Devan, “I can go almost anywhere in the English-speaking world.”

Because he only asks for donations, he doesn’t need a street use permit. Most street performers in Denver enjoy liberal use of the public domain.  And if the police should ask him to move on, he can shake the dust off his typewriter keys and move on down the road. It sure beats flipping burgers and delivering packages.  And he gets to hang-out with his dog who’s named “Paul Wolfawitz, not to be confused with Paul Wolfowitz, former president of the World Bank.”

Don’t try to friend him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter. He has no social media outlets or websites.  He believes in developing his reputation the old fashioned way, by writing great poems and getting known on the merits of his work. “Catch me if you can,” he says.