Author: 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.

Throwback Friday, Just a Call Away

A poem from my WP archives (March 2018), that I’ve tinkered with, and rehashed a number of times over the years. The original poem was written years before Carole passed (12 years ago), so the wording is quite ambiguous and introverted, and I’ll leave it up to your imaginations to interpret my thoughts …


Just A Call Away (Revised #2)


Waiting, when is she to summon me

Pondering what might have been

Writing to one and all, a finale

Pen to paper, wanting her to see

How I survived the Tasman Sea

While searching for her freedom tree


Wondering if it’s a selfish sin

To wear my second skin

Under an invisible coat of tin








Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

“A Fortunate Man”,  Published in, Write About – Four – Anthology, 2023

December, it’s that time of the year for the release of Anthologies, and here is another annual Anthology that my poems have been published in. This Anthology has been produced and published by the Belmont Page Writers Group (Geelong) and superbly edited by our convener, Claudia Collins.
“A Fortunate Man” is the second poem of mine that was published in this year’s fabulously presented Anthology.








Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

A Forever Coat, Published in, Write About – Four – Anthology, 2023

December, it’s that time of the year for the release of Anthologies, and here is another annual Anthology that my poems have been published in. This is one has been produced and published by the Belmont Page Writers Group (Geelong) and superbly edited by our convener, Claudia Collins.
Two of my poems were published in this fabulously presented Anthology, and today I am presenting the first one “A Forever Coat”.






Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

Christmas Day

I have enjoyed a fun time, yesterday, my brother’s birthday, and Christmas Day with my siblings, and doggies, Frankie, and his cousins Cookie & Whiskey

And Whiskey, Cookie and Frankie

Frankie wearing his Christmasy ears

Merry Christmas to all

Cheers from Ivor & Frankie

Ivor Steven December 25th 2023

Stars

Last Sunday morning I attended the “The Dome Poets” Christmas Party ‘brunch’, and we were each to bring a short poem about our poetry group (Secret), which was then folded and drawn from a hat, and recited by the drawer, and then we had to guess who wrote the poem … A very enjoyable session indeed, but I didn’t guess the authors too well … Haha, I got mine right! and one other …

Featured Image Above: The Dome Poets Group, taken at our Anthology book launch in June




Stars (My Poem, for the Dome Poetry Christmas Party)


Another year has been and gone

Today our words are secretly drawn

We’ll open our eyes and hear the peaceful sounds

Of our poems being eloquently unbound

A time for the Dome’s stars to be crowned








Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

Nature’s Way (a Rhyming Haiku)

Many of you know of my friendship with Derrick Knight … last night his property was lashed by gale force winds and in response to his article about the damage to his wonderful garden, I wrote this Haiku. >> https://derrickjknight.com/2023/12/21/fearing-for-the-weeping-birch/ Please Note; All photos reproduced on this post, were taken by Derrick






Nature’s Way (a Rhyming Haiku)




Be that as it may

Nature’s in charge of our days

We don’t have a say









Perceptions is Now Available via:

Amazon: https://amzn.asia/d/4yFHWrT

Jaymah Press: https://www.jaymahpress.com.au/

Lulu Books: https://www.lulu.com/shop/ivor-steven-and-derrick-knight/perceptions/hardcover/product-2pwqe4.html?q=Perceptions+by+Ivor+Steven&page=1&pageSize=4

OR: email me directly for a signed copy – ivorrs20@gmail.com  


Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

Throwback Friday, A Christmas Diamond, a Sparkling Jewel (Revised)

I wrote the original piece on 21st December 2017, and this revised version I wrote on the 21st December 2019.






A Christmas Diamond, a Sparkling Jewel (Revised)


I dreamt of your radiant face last night

So serene, a diamond, a dove, so pure white

Not sad, just vivid memories, oh, so bright

And I’ve plenty of tears, don’t worry, I’m all right

Visions of your bravery, courage above, and beyond

So gracious, an everlasting smile, our iconic bond

Completely in awe, amazing, a personal anthem

And I declare you were natures stellar blossom

I felt your pain, your sorrow, revealed to only a few

So uncomplaining, never a burden, never a shrew

Thinking the whole world should be like you

I wish this hungry planet could be cheerful too

Wondering why is life, sometimes ordained cruel?

But I’ll continue on, for you, my sparkling Jewel







Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

Becalmed Without an Alibi

I am reposting this poem in response to Moonwashed’s Weekly Prompted; Becalmed
>> https://amanpan.blog/2023/12/19/moonwashed-weekly-prompt-becalmed/



Becalmed Without an Alibi





Time to unshackle my inflatable raft

And reignite my charred draft

I left floating down the river

When I was the disabled driver

Of my Itmims space craft


Sadly, the fuel tank is running on empty

And the secondhand battery is almost dry

I need to recharge my world beyond page twenty

And being becalmed is not an imaginative alibi

Itmims; Ivor’s Time Machine In Micro Space







Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

A Christmas Party, With a “Bad Santa” Book Swap

On Sunday I attended the “lowercase poetry” Christmas Party, and it was a wonderfully friendly gathering and a merry time was had by all. The event featured a “Bad Santa” book swap, where we all brought along a Gift Wrapped Book (secret) to place under the ‘tree’, and when your name was announced you went up and picked a gift … there were certainly many enjoyable moments as we unwrapped our “Mystery Books” … and my parcel contained two books, Terry Pratchett’s “Wyrd Sisters, & The Poems And Plays Of Oliver Goldsmith, and a lovely letter from the gift wrapper …







A Christmas Party With a “Bad Santa” Book Swap 


 
 
The weekend flew by  

Under a sunny Christmas sky 


There was togetherness below the marquee’s shade  

And much happiness openheartedly displayed 


And beneath the leafy jade tree  

A stack of wrapped books, I did see 

For the “Bad Santa” book swap spree 


Luckily, my pick was Terry Pratchett’s “Wyrd Sisters” 

A humourous story about politics and witchery








Ivor Steven (c) December 2023