Ivor.Plumber/Poet

Throwback Friday, It Was Time To Leave

Cousin Lynn and Robin with Mungo and Kelly

Cousin Maureen and doggies Z-Z and Co-Co

Cousin Penny, and then Dave, Penny, and Ivor

Here I am on a Jet Plane, somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. Therefore today’s Throwback Friday poem is a very appropriate finale piece, to coincide with my amazing adventures in Canada over the past 21 days.

It Was Time To Leave (Revised)

It’s time to tidy up my mess
Clean up the room and get dressed
It’s time to pack my suitcase
Fill the travel bag and vacate this place
It’s time to put on my famous rocker shoes
And walk away from this dream come true
It’s time to say heartfelt goodbyes
To these wonderful Canadian guys
It’s time for final hugs and kisses
Sad farewells and best wishes
It’s time for my usual emotional tears
Separate myself from these every day cheers
It’s time to flyaway from a land of berries and fairies
Leave this magical world of faraway families
It’s time to say a million thank you’s
For making my stay a Really Real great do
It’s time for me to travel back home
With glorious memories of this magical Astrodome

Ivor Steven (c) September 2025

Throwback Friday, Where’s That Dream (a Redux from last year)

Today’s Throwback poem was written before I started my website and is from June 2012, not long after Carole passed away (14 years ago, May 3rd). For reasons I can’t quite explain, this nostalgic piece never found its way into any of my three books. Maybe this unheralded poem will finally nudge me toward completing my fourth.

Where’s That Dream

I have seen the universe through to the stars beyond
There is a deep darkness; she is gone. She is gone
I saw her smile crack from the pain
There was a sorrow, she caught it tomorrow

I have seen the moon through the burning sun
Where is that planet she is walking on?
I saw her eyes crying tears of sand
Where is that beach she is lying on?

I have seen the ocean through the broken coral
Where is that ship she is sailing on?
I saw her body serene and frail
Where are the ashes she is covered in?

I have seen the earth open, swallowing the multitude whole
Where is that chasm she is falling through?
I saw her gentle soul disappear out of sight
Where is that secret haven she is flying to?

I have seen the land go through violent storms
Where are the winds of time she is spread upon?
I saw her heart, her love, for all of you and me
Where is that dream she has left us to find?

Until Eyes Hear Sound

Amazon >> Amazon.com : Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >> Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)

Perceptions:

Amazon >> Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >> Perceptions (lulu.com)

Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books

OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com … and I can send you a PayPal account,
for the Book, plus Postage.

Ivor Steven © April 2026

Hope and Autumn

Passing the “Hope & Autumn” sign on my walk, I felt the season’s promise falter in the dry air.

Hope and Autumn

We are leaning against the barren trees
with only dry grass below our knees,
Summer’s gasping ground cracks
still zig-zag across the track.
Autumn’s relieving rains did not eventuate
and Winter’s ominiously waiting at the gate

Hopefully, before the coldness begins,
nature will forgive us for our sins.

“Where stories wait for rain, even here, among the books and dry leaves, the morning held its breath.”

Ivor Steven © April 2026

A Sky High Spider (a Tanka)

A sky‑hung spider paused above me, its long legs offering the day’s small surprise.

A Sky High Spider (a Tanka)

High above the ground
The spider hangs from a leaf
By a single thread,
Skillfully, without a net —
Nature’s six-legged trapezist.

A touch of quiet strength to mirror the spider’s patient art.

Ivor Steven © April 2026

Magazine features my new poem, “Email Overload.”

Featured Image Above: The image is a photomontage of my computer desk, a Pandora Box, and my imaginary space craft, ‘ITMIMS’ (Ivor’s Time Machine In Micro Space)

Hello, dear readers and followers. I contribute to Coffee House Writers magazine (USA) every second week, and I’m delighted to share that my latest poem, “Email Overload,” appears in the new issue. You can read it by following the link below.
>> Email Overload – Coffee House Writers

‘ITMIMS’ – Ivor’s Time Machine In Micro Space

Until Eyes Hear Sound

Amazon >> Amazon.com : Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >> Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)

Perceptions:

Amazon >> Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >> Perceptions (lulu.com)

Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books

OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com … and I can send you a PayPal account,
for the Book, plus Postage.

Ivor Steven © April 2026

“Spirit Bird”

There are moments when a song gathers everyone in the room into one breath. Watching “Spirit Bird” live in Brussels, I felt that pull — a reminder that we’ve walked this path before, laughed and cried before, stood on this same wounded ground before. And still, the spirit rises.

Morning’s silent wings keep tracing the same old stories.

“Spirit Bird”

Yes, we’ve seen it all before
“Give it time, and we wonder why,
do what we can, laugh, and we cry
And we sleep in your dust
because we’ve seen this all before.”
… The finale lyrics from Xavier Rudd’s emotional song “Spirit Bird.”

Ivor Steven © April 2026

Staring Back At Me (a Tanka)

Feature Image Above: was created by Copilot and me.

Stepping outside, I find the night moon is still following me.

Staring Back At Me (a Tanka)

It’s after midnight
I’m out, beyond the front door
The night is cloudy
But I can still see the moon
There, watching my every move

And the moon kept following me as if the night wasn’t done with me yet

Ivor Steven © April 2026

Our Shy Half-moon

A warm autumn sky, a bright afternoon, and a half‑moon trying not to be noticed.

Our Shy Half-moon

In our sunny Autumn sky,
the afternoon’s silvery half-moon
is naturally simple to pinpoint.

Especically
if you study your moon-chart app’
before you dip your eyes
into the dazzling blue yonder.

But beware — do not stare.
Our daytime moon is rather shy
about being exposed
by the sun’s intrusive glare.

A bright little moon‑tune to echo beneath the daylight sky.

Lest We Forget (a Haiku)

As the sky deepened to red, the day’s meaning settled softly around us.

Over at Weekly Prompts, it’s the weekend of the month, which means it’s time for the One-Day Prompt. Here in Australia, it’s that One Day of the year when we commemorate ANZAC Day. To visit the Weekly Prompts site, please click on >> Here

Lest We Forget (a Haiku)

Twilight’s blood red sky
Quietly reminded us
About ANZAC Day

Beyond Blue (a Haiku)

Late‑autumn warmth and a sky washed clear — moments of sunshine worth pausing for.

Beyond Blue (a Haiku)

From beyond the blue
Here, within your universe
The sun shines on you

This song appeared unprompted today, as if from beyond the blue.

Throwback Friday, A Torn Thesaurus

Today’s Throwback Friday poem (originally written in July 2022) is drawn from my third book, Until Eyes Hear Sound. It appears in Chapter 5: Observation, Until Eyes Hear Sound.