A quiet moment at dusk, evening settling softly around me, unaware the sky hosted its own surprise to share.
Lucky Man: an Evening Surprise (a Tanka)
There I stood waiting
for the wattlebird to fly
out of his gum tree.
Quickly, I snapped a photo —
surprise … do you see it too?”
Sometimes you’re just lucky enough to be standing in the right place at the right time.
Ivor Steven © April 2026
“There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in” … Leonard Cohen
“The sky cracked open for a heartbeat, and the light played its own soft melody.”
Through the Widening Crack
Twilight’s canopy of clouds
eclipses the evening sky
with an embracing violet shroud.
However, the squinting sunlight
was silently trying to wave goodbye
through the widening crack
above the sun’s transient eye.
And there on nature’s colourful curtain,
I saw columns of light
ascend the nebulous mountain;
then I wondered
whether I was witnessing the world’s
grand celestial pipe organ
playing a lullaby to the purple night
Ivor Steven © April 2026
After a stretch of nostalgic posts and tender reflections, I found myself drawn back to the calm of the outdoors today. There’s something reassuring about standing under a wide sky, watching a flock move as one — a reminder that even a quiet gatecrasher can find a place to belong.
One of the Crowd
Beneath the drifting clouds,
within the circling flock
who ritually gather
from all around the block,
I enjoy being one of the crowd —
and I’m socially allowed
to be a peaceful gatecrasher.
In the easy company of wings and drifting light, I found my way back to calm.
Ivor Steven © April 2026
As the evening sky burned low, it carried me back to a younger road — one lit with promise, before time dimmed the colours I thought would last.
Today, the Weekend Challenge on Weekly Prompts is the word “Interlude.” To visit their fabulous site, please click >> Here
Along This Road
Once upon a time —
when I was young, and life glowed,
I came along this road
where twilight’s crimson light
meets the edge of night.
Beyond once upon a time,
I saw her candle of joy turn white,
and her happy fire fell out of sight.
Thereafter, her merciless plight
became an ongoing, cruel fight.
Ivor Steven © April 2026
Nine crows rise beneath a watching moon, each carrying a whisper of the hour.
Nine Crows and the Moon
I suppose it’s in my DNA,
as is my way,
like every other day.
I look up from under
my old tattered beret,
then begin to wonder
who’s at play today?
At nine minutes to noon,
ten is the number —
nine crows plus the moon.
Soon it’ll be afternoon,
and the midday crescent moon,
will be retiring to his bedroom.
A tune to keep the moon company as the morning clears away.
Ivor Steven © April 2026
Featured Image Above: From the far edge of light, a voice rises — calling across distance, across darkness, urging the soul to fly toward the light.
Hello, dear readers and followers. I contribute to Coffee House Writers magazine (USA) every second week, and I’m delighted to share that my latest poem, “Arise With My Light,” appears in the new issue. You can read it by following the link below.
>> Arise With My Light – Coffee House Writers
.
Until Eyes Hear Sound
Amazon >> Amazon.com : 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 … and I can send you a PayPal account,
for the Book, plus Postage.
Ivor Steven © April 2026
Here in the quiet between sun and trees, I steady myself before the day’s cold fire.
The World’s Cold Old Fire
Beyond the trees,
I see our warm old sun.
We do not have another one.
Above the trees,
I see our bold old moon.
We do not have another one.
Among the trees,
here I stand
on earth’s wartime cremated land.
We do not have another one.
Here I sway,
with hand on my heart —
I do not have another one.
I’m being immorally overwhelmed
by the world’s cold old fire.
We do not need another one.
A song to walk with through the world’s cold old fire.
Ivor Steven © April 2026
In keeping with this week’s ‘Moon’ theme, today’s Throwback Friday poem (originally written in January 2021) is drawn from my third book, Until Eyes Hear Sound. It appears in Chapter 8: Poetry in Slow Motion, and if you need to have a chat with me, “I am up here floating on the moon.”
Floating On The Moon
I am not always wrong
And at times, I may have been right
Behind my mask, I smile
And at times, I grimace
Numbness has entered my bones
Clumsiness guides my pen
Awkwardness precedes my stride
Uneasiness resonates in my voice
I am not able to walk on water
And at times, I have sunk like a stone
I live within my soul’s cocoon
And at times, I am floating on the moon
.
Until Eyes Hear Sound
Amazon >> Amazon.com : 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 … and I can send you a PayPal account,
for the Book, plus Postage.
Ivor Steven © April 2026
A soft moon above shapes my morning thoughts below — a light flight into privilege and perspective
Over at Weekly Prompts, the Monthly Colour Challenge is Silver. To visit their fabulous site, please click >> Here.
All the Silver Spoons
I’m not a fallen star,
nor have I seen the light
from afar.
But I am falling
back to earth
in an empty jar.
There’s nothing like a flight
around the moon
to ceremoniously lampoon
any doubts about who owns
all the silver spoons.
Ivor Steven © April 2026
A reflected sky becomes a portal, inviting one more small step into something larger than this moment.
One More Step (a Tanka)
Nature’s garden sky
Mirrored in a shallow pool
No hesitation
I walk into the image
One more small step for mankind
Ivor Steven © April 2026
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 