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.

“Dusty Photos”, is in this week’s Coffee House Writers Magazine edition.

Hello, dear readers and followers. I write for Coffee House Writers magazine (USA) fortnightly, and my poem “Dusty Photos” is in this week’s edition. …
To read the poem, please click the link below to visit my Coffee House Writers Magazine article.
>> https://coffeehousewriters.com/dusty-photos/







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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


Ivor Steven © May 2025

Flying Away





Flying Away

A swift little fantail, or flashy wattlebird
A trusty magpie, or even a hardy crow
I’m not overly fussy or bossy

Actually, Air New Zealand
Was my preferred choice
Four hours to Auckland
Thirteen hours to Vancouver
Then a short trip to the Island’s
Victoria Airport

My hometown, Geelong
Is in the State of Victoria (Australia)
And here I am flying to Canada
Then, finishing up in Victoria







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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


Ivor Steven © May 2025

The Horizon’s Encore (a Tanka)


Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge is the word Silhouette. To visit their fabulous site, please click on >>HERE
I have not mentioned the word ‘Silhouette in my poem, but after sunset,
the sky is covered in colourfull ‘silhouettes’.




The Horizon’s Encore (a Tank)


Half an hour after
The sun’s disappearing act
The horizon’s lights
Refused to exit the stage
When Twilight called out for more







Ivor Steven (c) May 2025

A Crazy Phase






A Crazy Phase



This morning I had a dream.
About flying north toward the sun
and travelling beyond the Rocky Mountains, trees

On my way there,
I dropped in to say hello to the moon
And I asked the moon.
“How do you cope when waning
to that crescent shape?”

The moon smiled and wryly replied
“Do not worry, my friend.
It’s a crazy phase I’m going through.”





Amble – The Boy Who Flew Away
Lyrics:

I’m standing staring at my feet
I can feel the eyes on me
Is that the boy who flew away
I wonder, is he free
I wonder, is he free

One will courage a handshake and smile
And say ‘oh boy, it’s been a while’
Cheeks will turn, my ears will burn
I’ll say ‘oh boy, it’s been a while’

Maybe flying was never my plan
To leave and return an older man
Have you ever thought
You pushed me away
I’m home now, with no place to stay
I’m home now, with no place to stay

Luke talks about lost and found
Maybe he meant found and lost
On Sunday eve, we’ll kill a calf
And deal with the family frost
And deal with the family frost

Luck will fall and ice will thaw
For the boy who drew the long straw
Bridges mend, and time is your friend
And home now will be Lán le Grá
And home now will be Lán le Grá

Maybe flying was never my plan
To leave and return and older man
Have you ever thought
You pushed me away
I’m home now, with no place to stay
I’m home now, with no place to stay

I’m standing staring at my feet
I can feel the eyes on me
I’m the boy who flew away
The boy who’s longer free




Ivor Steven (c) May 2025

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

Close Up and Personal (a Tanka)

gentle eye perceives
melodies of ideal worlds
through a magic lens

Moonwashed Musings >> https://amanpan.com/2025/05/20/moonwashed-weekly-prompt-may-20-2025/

“Let one or more words in my poem be your inspiration.
Prompt contributions can be any variation of the prompt and/or image.“


Close Up and Personal (a Tanka)

Through the magic lens
Of my iPhone camera
I get to observe
My world’s colourful sunsets
Right close up and personal






Ivor Steven (c) May 2025

What’s Out There?


Today’s poem is one of my verses made up of comments I posted on two of my fellow WordPress writers’ articles during the month … In stanza order, they are:
*Stanzas I & 2, Yelling Rosa >> https://yerosacom.wordpress.com/2025/05/01/about-the-death-e-morte/
*Stazas 3 & 4, Sara >> https://purplepeninportland.com/2025/05/01/i-wish-a-dream/



What’s Out There?



Out there, beyond the cosmic frost
I think we all would be lost
And the scientists have their stars crossed

The universe cannot be bossed,
over glossed, or embossed
By “AI” and Microsoft

I raise my flask
To solving the task

Maybe it’s too much to ask
Of those that quietly bask
From behind their cozy masks








Ivor Steven (c) May 2025

Rainbow Over Pako


Ivor and Frankie at the Box Office Cafe




Rainbow Over Pako

After the dawn’s cold frost
Our morning walk was cool and crisp
But the autumn sun was shining
And we decided to head down to Pakington St
Affectionally known as “Pako”
A charming street with small rustic shops
And abundant alfresco-style cafes
We always go to our favourite venue
The ‘doggie friendly’ Box Office Cafe






Ivor Steven (c) May 2025

My Universe, or: Here, There, and Everywhere





My Universe, or: Here, There, and Everywhere


It’s a glorious autumn morning
And here I am
Standing in the middle
Of my universe
Between the bright sun to my right
And the deft daytime moon on my left

Oh, I should say, east and west
Because when I turn around
To walk toward the north
East and west are
Here and there
No matter the where

And the middle of my universe
Is always here, like a wet-nurse
For better or worse








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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



Ivor Steven © May 2025