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.

Twilight’s Bookends, Published by Geelong Writers, in AnoMaly Street, Anthology

This evening I went to the book launch of The Geelong Writers, Anomaly Street (Poetry With A Difference), a twice-yearly collection of poetry that creates jolts for flatlined minds, and to the editor, Jo Curtain, for selecting my poem. Below is a photo of the poem’s presentation in the book … (my scanner is broken)

Tullawalla is Available From

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

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com

Amazon: search via, ‘Tullawalla by Ivor Steven’

AND
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) June 2023

Only One Day of “Voting” Left … Lines To Nowhere, has been nominated for Publication of The Month of June, at “Spillwords Magazine”

If you wish to “Vote” for me, you can vote here: https://spillwords.com/vote/

I am proud to announce that my poem “Lines To Nowhere” has been nominated for Publication of The Month of June, at “Spillwords Magazine”. A big thank you to the editing team at Spillwords for the nomination, and hearty congratulations to the other Nominees.

Voting will cease on 6/29 and soon after we will reveal the winner.
Please note, you need to register and/or login to vote.

The winning publication will be featured on Spillwords.com sidebar during the entire month of July!

HERE ARE THE NOMINEES:

Mid Week by Roy Eisenstein
Lines To Nowhere by Ivor Steven
Mermaids & Miracles by Ann Parker
The Sunset, The Beach, The Stars, and The Midnight Sky by Michelle Ayon Navajas
When You Find Your Center by Kate Leo
Darker The Water, The Deeper The Deep by Gerry Stefanson
Joy by Daniel Clarke-Serret
The Centre of My Universe by Jane Bradshaw
Two Faces by Chris Corbett
Dead Man’s Hand by Kerr Pelto
At 28 Weeks: When Reality Shifts by Erin P.T. Canning
And All That Jazz by Angela Huskisson
Piggy by Zach Zajac
Dress Rehearsal by Jon A Lunsford

Good luck to all!

Lines to Nowhere

As my drapes fell apart
I saw a setting eclipse
And I decided to walk
To the south side of the moon

Carrying my plastic spoon
There, a giant vanilla cheesecake
Rolled over the crusty moonscape
On a giant crumbly base
Topped with blueberries and cream
Laying here in bed, life is but a dream

The evening skyline begins to drool
Am I, a full moon’s fool?
I will meet you at the old school
Down by the empty pool
This time we will not be ridiculed

Ivor Steven © June 2023. Spillwords Magazine, New York

Ivor Steven(c) June 2023

Free Like a Bird

Free Like a Bird (a Tanka)

He is standing there

Longing to fly with her soon

Wings begin flapping

And up he gracefully soars

Spiraling toward wisdom

Tullawalla is Available From

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

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com

Amazon: search via, ‘Tullawalla by Ivor Steven’

AND
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) June 2023

Yellow Boulders, is in this week’s Coffee House Writers Magazine

Hello dear readers and followers, I am writing for “Coffee House Writers” magazine on a fortnightly basis, and my poem “Yellow Boulders”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. … please click on the link below to view my poem, at Coffee House Writers Magazine. >> https://coffeehousewriters.com/yellow-boulders/

Ivor Steven (c) June 2023

Blinded By the Light

Blinded By the Light

Good morning golden one

Can you see us?

From above the world’s pieces

Of tattered sky

We are the ones

Wearing smeared makeup

Around our weeping eyes

Good morning gifted one

Can you save us?

From the world’s darkening clouds

Of hard rain

We are the ones

Wearing molten mascara

Blinding our silent eyes

Tullawalla is Available From

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

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com

Amazon: search via, ‘Tullawalla by Ivor Steven’

AND
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) June 2023

The Stage is Set (a Tanka)

Please visit the Geelong Arts Centre Development via clicking on this link >>
https://www.development.vic.gov.au/projects/geelong-arts-centre?page=overview

The Stage is Set (a Tanka)

Unfurl the curtain

For the grand opening night

Geelong’s pride and joy

A cultural theatre

And Arts Centre is ready

I know it’s not poosible: but in my dreamy imagination, it would have been fabulous to have our local international star, Xavier Rudd, sing at the opening night

Tullawalla is Available From

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

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com

Amazon: search via, ‘Tullawalla by Ivor Steven’

AND
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) June 2023

Seven Shades of Gray

Seven Shades of Gray

My morning is not ruined

The sky has finished crying

And the awakening winter sun

Begins painting the clouds

In shades of coral gray

Artfully illuminating my day

Tullawalla is Available From

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

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com

Amazon: search via, ‘Tullawalla by Ivor Steven’

AND
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) June 2023

Throwback Friday, Empty Streets and Lonely Chairs

Today I am presenting another poem that will be appearing in my new book “Until Eyes Hear Sound”. I wrote ‘Empty Streets and Lonely Chairs’ in August 2020, and the poem will be the openining piece in Chapter 4. The New World? The Same Universe!

Empty Streets and Lonely Chairs

The witty city ones

Don’t get to see all of the sun

They rant and grimace during the day

At night you’ll hear them cry and bay

Their barks are worse than their bites

If they saw the white wolf they’d get a fright

The icing has melted on their cakes

And run off with their dirty plates

Behind masks, mesmerised eyes blankly stare

At the city’s empty streets and lonely chairs

There’s too many people in the same boat

This ancient raft’s struggling to stay afloat

There’s not enough life-jackets for the crowd

Some will drown, others will stand proud

Tullawalla is Available From

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

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com

Amazon: search via, ‘Tullawalla by Ivor Steven’

AND
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) June 2023

A Frozen Sundial (a Tu-aiku)

A Frozen Sundial (a Tu-aiku) my name for a Dual Haiku

Breathing in Iciles

Zero is not amusing

Frost covers my world

My sundial’s stopped

Beneath a sheet of white ice

Frozen within time

Tullawalla is Available From

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

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com

Amazon: search via, ‘Tullawalla by Ivor Steven’

AND
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) June 2023

Below the Trees and Bushes, is up at Masticadores USA

A big thank you to the Editor: Barbara Leonhard, for accepting and publishing my poem “Below the Trees anbd Bushes” at MasticadoresUsa.

How far, is too far?

Too far away from home

Too far away from love

Love does not grow on trees

Love grows inside trees

……….

To view my entire poem at MasticadoresUsa, please click on this link >>
https://masticadoresusa.wordpress.com/2023/06/20/below-the-trees-and-bushes-by-ivor-steven/

Featured Image: Courtesy of Pixabay