Throwback Friday, What Is Normal, My Son?

Today’s Throwback Friday Poem is from July 2020, during the middle of the ‘Covid Era’, but I think my words could now be applied to the ‘Trump Era’


What Is Normal, My Son?

Breakfast and a hot cuppa
Under my cosy verandah
As per normal, if it’s not too chilly
And I’m having my normal courtyard chat
With my friends, Phillip the penguin
And the wise old owl, Oscar
We’re talking about the future
Whether life will ever be normal again

Oscar quietly hoots
“What is normal, my son?”
Little Phillip chirped in
“Normal is a state of mind
A comfort zone in time
Like swimming in the deep blue sea every day.”
Oscar agreed with Phillip
“Normal’s been perched in the same tree every night.”
Oscar and Phillip grinned and nodded at each other
And I listened and pondered

Smiling at my two furry companions
I added, “Our old normal won’t be normal anymore.”
Oscar’s brows lowered, and he said
“As per normal these days
We shall patiently try to adapt, then wait and see
What colour will the new normal turn out to be
Black, white, or green like the trees
Maybe the striped yellow of our life-giving bees”





Ivor Steven (c) May 2025

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ivor20

G'day, and welcome to my blog site. My name is Ivor Steven, I live in Geelong, Australia. I'm an ex-industrial chemist, and a retired plumber, and a former Carer of my wife(Carole), for 30 years, who suffered from severe MS. I Write poetry about those personal thoughts, throughout and beyond my life as a Carer. I've been blogging for over 2 years, and writing poems for 19 years. Of course a lot of my poems are about my favourite subject Carole, but since I've been blogging my writings have become quite varied, humourous, mystical, observational, and even a few monster/horror poems.

29 thoughts on “Throwback Friday, What Is Normal, My Son?”

  5. Life is a series of changes, but the basic values remain unchanged, starting with our ethics and humanity, and the Golden Rule. These basic values provide stability in an ever-changing reality. 😊

    Ivor, this entertaining poem reminds us that, while we must be flexible and adapt to change, we must hold on to our timeless truths and principles. 💕🩵💕

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  8. The only normal ones among us are the animals, whether an owl or an ocelot, a penguin or a panda. They are all having a good laugh at us, the very abnormal human! Excellent, wise and lovely verse, dear Ivor. 🧡🐧🤎🦉♡🌝💛🌏💙

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  9. 🦉🐧🐕 Oscar, Phillip and Frankie AND all “furry-friends” are so smart and they must wonder why we Human-Beans are not. We should take our cues from the birds and animals and be kinder, and more loving, to Nature, to others, and to ourselves.
    Sweet photo, powerful ponderful poem, and heart-touching song choice, Ivor! 🙂
    Mr. Cohen was a visionary…his words are always brutally honest, challenging, encourage us to think, encourage self-reflection, and so much more…and, yet, they often leave us with reasons to change, be better and to live with/in hope.
    I do believe your poem shall always be relevant and so important, too, Ivor!
    (((HUGS))) ❤️ 🦉🐧🐕 ❤️

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    1. Yes, our Mr. Cohen was indeed a masterful and astute wordsmith, and I have many of his books in my library … and you’ll get no arguments from me about our furry friends setting the example for us Human-Beans to follow … Thank you very much for kindness, Carolyn … 🐶🐧🦉😍🌏💕🌞

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