Thomas Kent, poet

Thomas Kent and Willoughby the Cat are pen names of the Melbourne, Australia poet, artist and writer Geoff Byng. Born in Takapuna, New Zealand in September 1956, he migrated to Australia in 1980.

ReligiousBecoming a Buddhist at the age of 12, he initiated the setting up of the first Singhalese and Vietnamese Buddhist groups in New Zealand, was a founder member and Publicity Officer of the Buddhist Council of Sydney in 1985, and founded other Buddhist groups. He spent three months in the Bhikkhu Training Centre, Maharagama, Sri Lanka, in 1980, and studied Pali under Dr. Peter Masefield P.T.S. He is a follower of the Ri-me approach and belongs to the Nyingmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

CareerKent's career has mainly been in the Australian Public Service. He edited the manual for the first major Mackintosh application developed in Australia (Keyplan) and at present works as a Public Affairs advisor to the Eritrean Community and the African Think Tank in Australia. WritingKent worked as a sub-editor on the underground publication 'Earwig', (Auckland 1978/9, student publications at Sydney University, Macquarie University, Sydney, and Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He has published poetry, articles and short stories in a number of newspapers and magazines and is a regular reader at venues in Melbourne, appearing in special productions with poets such as Vivian Hopkirk, IanMacBryde and Komninos Zervos.

PublicationsThis is a short selection.When, (short story), Ripple, Wellington, NZ, 1979Une Sentimentailiste fur th' Kwqeens Burthdai, (short story), Salient, Sydney, 1980A Vampire of Sydney (short story), Passing Show, Sydney, 1980Keyplan Manual (ed.), Keyway/Interkey, Sydney, 1986Cats and Sparrows, children's poetry, EXACT, Bellingen NSW, 1995.Wilbur the Worm and other poems, children's poetry, Bellingen NSW, EXACT, 1996The Fat Vampire's Club (short story), online, 2006Pawetical Works (by Willoughby the Cat), Melbourne, EXACT, 2008Tourmaline (Poetry Jan-June 2008), Melbourne, EXACT, 2008

references: author's websites http:\www.felisgris.com, http:\www.fatvampiresclub.comFront page article, Footscray Mail, Melbourne, August 20 2008.