Category: Life/lifestyle

Rubber Soles and a Timeworn Soul 

I use only one pair of shoes and after 12 months and 2200 km later, I’ve worn off about 15 mm of rubber from the outside heal area …




Rubber Soles and a Timeworn Soul 
 
 
 
My shoe’s rubber soles 
Are worn out and almost gone  
And the laces are threadbare 
Like burnt-down candle wicks
 

I have traveled many hard miles  
My old bones are weary 
Worn out and almost gone 

But my timeworn soul remains intact  
While my journey’s dreams are alive and well 









All Books. Now Available At:

Creative Geelong MAY’D Shop,
Shop 15/Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
TRADING HOURS
Thursday-Saturday
11am-3pm

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 direct for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) June 2024

My Easter Sunday Project

I had enough wooden letters, some leftover pieces of timber, glue, white semi-gloss paint, and assorted cans of spray paint colours.

The Project; to design and build a stand-alone large bookend for my “Poetry Book” shelf.

Result; My bookend/stand looks colourfully handsome, and sturdy.


I thought of rhyme alone,
For rhyme can beat a measure out of trouble
And make the daylight sweet once more.

William Butler Yeats








Ivor Steven (c) March 31st 2024

“Until Eyes Hear Sound”, The Back Cover and My ‘Blurb’

Yesterday, Judy, my editor/publisher, set me one last task before my manuscript could be sent to the printers, which was to design a Back Cover with an interesting ‘Blurb’ for my new book. By using my ‘Canva App’, and reworking Kerri’s Front Cover design, I was happy with the image that I created. Then the difficult part was writing an appropriate ‘Blurb’ for my book, which was to be my debut attempt at writing such a piece. After many torn-up drafts and lots of frustrating self-doubts, I eventually produced my ‘Blurb’.





“Until Eyes Hear Sound”, My ‘Blurb’

The title ‘Until Eyes Hear Sound’ could mean different things depending on your interpretation. It could be a poetic expression, a metaphor for waiting for something to happen, or a way of describing a state of deep concentration where one is so focused on one’s inner vision that one becomes oblivious to external sounds.
Ivor’s poems do not suggest having the answers, but his words encourage you to think about the environment we live in, as he ponders the purpose of our existence in the Universe.
“If you love poetry that challenges, inspires, and moves you, this book is for you.”







Ivor Steven (c) February 2024

Throwback Friday, Fruit Loopy

Early July 2017, my blog/website was only 3 weeks old when I wrote this abstract poem, ‘Fruit Loopy’ … hmmm … and I am not sure what my thoughts were at the time … but I had only been in my new little abode for 5 months, and I was finishing off building the verandah, and starting to create a courtyard garden … I suppose I was “dreaming” about how much Carole would have loved my new home, so hence the “funny title”




Fruit Loopy


The juices of expectation

are upon me again.

Dreaming of yesteryear

and clambering for today.

Through my pores

a taste of sweetness.

My apple of love

the fruit for tomorrow.



Vale, Melaine Safka, she was one of kind




Ivor Steven (c) February 2024

My Lounge Suite (a Haiku) Written by, Frankie

Over at Weekly Prompts, the Colour Challenge for January is: Purple . Please visit their fabulous site by clicking on >> Here

Please Note: All attached photos of ‘me’, were taken by, ‘my best friend’





My Lounge Suite (a Haiku), Written by, Frankie



Come sit beside me

Scratch my ear, and shake my paw

My home is your home








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) January 2024

Throwback Friday, Zither (a Haiku)

Today’s Throwback poem was written when I was on a tour in China, and here we were in Beijing, at an ancient family home (500 years old) being entertained by the lady of the house playing traditional Chinese music on her antique Guzheng instrument.
“Zither”, was the winning Haiku in a Haiku competition run by Vita Brevis Poetry Magazine, in November 2018

Zither – Ivor Steven’s Winning Haiku – Vita Brevis Press.

Nov 2, 2018. Editor, Brian Geiger. For those of you who didn’t know, I hosted an October haiku contest a couple weeks ago. I’m happy to reveal our winner: Submitted by Ivor Steven. Zither 



Zither (a Haiku)


Chinese courtyard sounds

Guzheng music gently strums

Beijing alley hums







Ivor Steven (c) January 2024

The New Year is Near (a Tanka)

Featured Image Above: The 63 Degrees Cafe, which is across the road from the Box Office Cafe

A happy Frankie, and the little Finch … The Book Bird message.




The New Year is Near (a Tanka)


I’m across the road

At a different cafe

It is New Year’s Eve

Today the Box Office closed

Early for the holiday







Ivor Steven (c) December/January 2023/2024

“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

I Slither Forward

Hello dear readers and followers, many of you know that I have recently been diagnosed with having diabetes, and lately my general tiredness is becoming exhausting … and regretfully I will not be actively blogging with my normal enthusiastic zest … My recovery is a steady and slow process and I definitely need a break from my extremely busy blogging programs … hopefully I will be able to resume ‘soonerer than laterer’ …





I Slither Forward




Today, I am moving slowly

Slower than Steve the Snail

Slithering over the morning dew


For every slippery slide forward

There are two shuffles back


Improvement is at a standstill

Impatience is hard to pacify


I am swaying like a rusty gate

Creaking and groaning in a lazy breeze


But I am steadily swinging into the gear

And step by step, I shall find my way









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) November 2023

Aristotle

Over at Moonwashed Musings, the Weekly Prompt is: Mottled Sky Page >> https://amanpan.blog/2023/10/31/moonashed-weekly-prompt-mottled-sky-page/ …I have been overdoing it lately … writing until I am almost exhausted, so my response to the prompt is a bit jaded and moodily a ‘Bittersweet’ poem.

And at “Weekly Prompts” Wednesday Challenge the prompt word is: Bittersweet. You can visit their wonderful site by clicking on >> HERE



Aristotle


My magic Genie has been bottled

I was writing beyond full-throttle

My pencil became rough and cobbled

And my dreams were infirmed and mottled

Then I thought about the genius of Aristotle

“There is only one way to avoid criticism:

do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.”







Ivor Steven (c) October 2023