Quietly Sighing

Feature Image: I still find myself looking toward the bright side — from somewhere just beneath the flowering wishing tree on the moon.

This afternoon’s café quiet carried me back to the edges of last week’s stroke‑fatigue episode — not in fear, but in recognition. I sat with its soft ache, like a body sighing before it speaks, and let the moment settle around me.


Frankie watched on from his blue bench, patient as ever, while the wishing tree above reminded me that even on the slower days, hope still hangs from familiar branches.

Here’s the poem that found me there.




Quietly Sighing

Here in the cafe,
staying away
from yesterday.

Not hiding
nor crying —
just quietly sighing.

Another sand dune climbed;
that’ll do for now,
until next time.

My tired old wings
remain firmly attached
to my heartstrings —
an antique violin
miming today’s tunes.

And I’m still able to see
tomorrow’s wishing tree
flowering on the moon.





When the poem settles, I softly step from the wishing tree on the moon into Mendelssohn’s sighing wind.




Ivor Steven ©  October 2026

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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.

31 thoughts on “Quietly Sighing”

  5. What a beautiful wishing tree! 🙂 What beautiful music! 🙂
    Your poem is heart-touching and powerful! Such an important message. So relatable to all humans. Thank you for writing it, and sharing it, Ivor. In doing so you have shared your beautiful heart…which helps, inspires, and encourages us all. 🙂
    Life (and emotions) can ebb and flow like ocean waves. During the ebb times we MUST hold onto hope…rest and renew…because the flow will come again. 🙂
    (((HUGS))) and ❤️❤️❤️, and I’m so glad Sir Frankie is there! 🙂 I always love to see Frankie! 🙂

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  10. Sometimes, these things that cause health difficulties in our lives, leave us short of “air”, and, we can only, accept them, because the more we ask why, or try to fight it, the harder it will be for us to, recover, to get back to our former, selves, and yet, nothing will, ever be, the same, and we all learn to, cope with these things that time brings to us, and we learn to, accept, that humans are, finite, that we’re not, as invincible as we like to believe ourselves, to, be. I hope you recover to close to full-capacity from before.

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    1. Yes, there’s rhyme or reason as to why they happen, mainly they confusing and frustrating, I rest up recover, although this it’s taking longer… I suppose I’m older 🥰🌏📖

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  11. Unfortunately, due to what the Covid clinic call ‘brain fatigue’, I no longer spend as much time visiting other bloggers, and my own posts are now down to once a week.
    I may have missed some of your posts. Have you had another stroke? DO take plenty of rest Ivor, the brain needs to relax in the same way the body needs it. 🤗

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