Category: Life/lifestyle

Imagination (revised)

We walked pass the ‘Imagination Garden Kindergarten & Childcare’ centre this morning, and I was reminded of this poem I wrote in August 2020, when the building was being constructed. All the photos in my post here today were taken this morning at the “Imagination” centre ..




Imagination (revised)



Boldly, the sign “Imagination” is written on the wall

The silent gift of creativety that is given to us all



Imagination looks beyond the distant horizon

To where a blue sky unites the oceans

Imagination looks above the gathering dark clouds

To where a golden sun dispels all doubts



Imagination looks inside the essence of nature

To where a nurtured animal instinct matures

Imagination looks outside the boundaries of mankind

To where a human mind can roam unconfined

And peacefully co-exist nonaligned






Ivor Steven (c) June 2022

Blue-stone Cellar (A Repost)

I’m having technical problems try to submit my article to Coffee House Writers this evening, and I am getting frustrated .. so I decided to “Leave The Table” for a while, and found this poem that I wrote after a enjoyable night out, in November 2018, and I’m reposting it here on my site tonight …

Blue-stone Cellar (A Repost)

Old wooden steps

Going down, worn and steep

Revealing a cellar, candle-lit

Walls of blue-stone blocks

With a stained cedar ceiling

Creating a friendly aura of closeness

Intimate and cosy

A perfect place for Mr Cohen’s spirit to be


Sweet Amie Brulee

Sings and plays his songs

And in between, graciously reads his poetry

Jovially chats to the audience

Relaxed and carefree

Her demure smile is spontaneous

Divulging stories about his works

With enthusiasm and passion

Infusing her own subtle wit and humour

A show of genuine warmth and charm

From his tower of song, Leonard would be pleased






Ivor Steven (c) June 2022

Ding Dong and Bang Clang?




I was in a dazed shock

As the bedside table rocked

When my alarm clock piercingly rang

Ding dong and bang clang it sang

Like a hammering chain gang

Breaking rocks, bang after bang


Awakened by the brutal ding and bang

Out of bed I sprang

Then abruptly, my mind went clang!

When the bells of Sunday morn began!






Ivor Steven (c) June 2022

Infinity Times Infinity (Revised)

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a ‘Tanka’ called Infinity Times Infinity, and here today I have altered the Tanka, to form an eight-line poem .. For betterer, or worserer .. here is my revised piece … below: after my poem is the ‘original Tanka’

Infinity Times Infinity (Revised)




Between flying high 

From here, to out there

Beyond the daylight

A trillion light-years away

Is there further light?

Where does the universe end?

Is infinity times infinity,

The foundation of light?



Infinity Times Infinity (a Tanka)

Beyond the daylight
A trillion light-years away
Is there further light?
Where does the universe end?
Is infinity the light?






Ivor Steven (c) June 2022

A ‘Penguin Waffle’

Over at Weelkly Prompts the Wednesday challenge is the word: ALARMS. Please go and visit their fabulous site by clickng on>> Here .. and below is my response to their prompt …




A Penguin Waffle


This year, all around the world

The alarm bells have been ringing loudly

Today, I have escaped to the country

Away from humanities blaring sirens


I am at the Moorabool Valley Chocolate Cafe

Relaxing with a mug of coffee

And a scrumptious piece of cheesecake


Then suddenly, without warning

My sweet tooth starts chiming

There on the counter I spied a ‘Penguin Waffle’

And as my mom used to say

“If you have a sweet tooth, sometimes

you just must have chocolate”






Ivor Steven (c) June 2022

Tomorrow’s Cake (a Senryu)

I formed this Senryu from a comment I made in response to a poem ‘Willow’ wrote on her site on the 9th June .. thank you Willow for prompting these words … https://willowdot21.wordpress.com/2022/06/08/ronovan-writes-sijo-wednesday-poetry-challenge-13-use-future-as-your-inspiration-this-week/


Tomorrow’s Cake (a Senryu)




the future tastes like 

yesterday, but is topped with 

venom from today






Ivor Steven ©  June 2022

The Ancient Fern Survives

Featured Image Above: by Derrick Knight > https://derrickjknight.com/2022/06/10/rich-pickings/

The Images below: are from my courtyard ..





The Ancient Fern Survives




Selfish, unopened minds remain numbed

False eye-lashes are heavy and closed

Botoxed lips are silent and sealed

And elephant ears have been pegged out of sight




But there under our careless feet

The earth’s ferns have agelessly survived

Three hundred and sixty million years

Without changing the appearance of their golden leaves

That timelessly regenerate themselves

By naturally releasing their fertilising spores






Ivor Steven (c) June 2022

Dreaming in a Dream & Rumblings, are in the March Issue of Positive Words Magazine

I am pleased and proud to announce that 2 of my poems, “Dreaming in a Dream (a Tanka)” & “Rumblings (a Senryu)” are published in the June Issue, Positive Words Magazine, and thank you to the Editor, Sandra, for selecting my poems… For further information about this fabulous Australian magazine, visit their site via this link > https://positivewordsmagazine.wordpress.com/
Attached below, I have scanned the poems directly from my copy of the Magazine.








Ivor Steven (c) June 2022