Life – Page 9 – Ivor.Plumber/Poet

Throwback Friday, A Distant Ship (Revised)

Hello dear readers and followers, here’s a re-posting of a poem I wrote in September 2017, and as is my way I have revised the piece for today’s Throwback Friday article.

A Distant Ship (Revised)

Am I afraid, or am I being slowly discouraged.

Dismayed by the emptiness in my wavering heart.

Am I consumed, or am I being bodily starved.

Eaten by the cells of my inner sentiments.

Am I senseless, or have I been possessed.

Devoured by the recess of my lonely soul.

Am I swimming backstroke behind a distant love-boat.

Drowning in the wake of the passing recovery vessel.

Ivor Steven (c) November 2023

A Positive Outcome

“Every negative event contains within it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” ~ Napoleon Hill

A Positive Outcome

Saturday morning

At the Creative’s Market

All is cosy and quiet

Under the venues skylight roof

And I calmly wait for patrons

To enter the welcoming arcade

The attendance was sporadic

But I enjoyed several amiable chats

And they gratefully accepted. my poetry/website card

Then, glowingly, I sold a “Tullawalla” book

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

The Flame Flickers

“I wish I could say everything in one word. I hate all the things that can happen between the beginning of a sentence and the end.“

Leonard Cohen

The Flame Flickers

Sunday afternoon

And I am in bed

Resting and daydreaming

Again, tiredness is my companion

Outside, I hear the wind

Rushing through the sky

Inside, I hear ambient music

Soothing the throb behind my eyes

I have been handed a bike

To pedal up the hill

When seated on the saddle

My feet are yet

To touch the ground

I have been assigned

A pure-bred horse to ride

When seated on the saddle

My feet are yet

To reach the stirrups

I have been given

A different path to follow

When the dust finally settles

The restored footprints

Will belong to me

Ivor Steven (c) November 2023

Throwback Friday, Life Is A Bittersweet Marathon (Revised)

This week’s Throwback Friday was written in December 2020, and as is my way, I have made some changes …

Life is a Bittersweet Marathon (Revised)

life is an arduous marathon

a conundrum until the finishing line

we live in the moment

yesterday has gone

and we are not in charge of tomorrow

today is a new gift to be opened

time knowingly evolves into ripples and wrinkles

openly wavering with our shuffles and muffles

life is a bittersweet marathon

moving forward without bitterness

savouring the sweetness of completing the race

I am leaving today behind

gratefully I am wiser and a day older

and fortunately, my heart beats healthily

Featured Image: A photo of a painting hanging in the waiting room at the heart specialist rooms

Ivor Steven (c) November 2023

Phenomenal Anomaly

Featured Image Above: by Enrique from Pixabay

Over at Moonwashed Musings, Eugi’s Weekly Prompt is: Phenomenons … and for Weekly Prompts the Wednesday Challenge is: Coincidence …
To visit Sue & Gerry’s fabulous site, please click on >> Here
My poem “Phenomenal Anomaly” coincides with both of the “Prompts”

Phenomenal Anomaly

Every new day’s

A spectacle

This morning

The spring sunshine

Extols

My every phenomenal stride

Every living moment’s

A miracle

This afternoon

I am going to follow the sun

To my friend’s funeral

And extol

His every phenomenal stride

Ivor Steven (c) November 2023

This Fence (2001)

“This Fence” is a poem I posted on my Site when I first began blogging in June/July 2017, however I originally wrote the piece back in 2001, when I was recovering from my first stroke in Sept’ 2000 … My words from 22 years ago seem be applicable today, as I start my recovery program from this week’s diabetes diagnosis…

This Fence

I am quickly nearing this fence.

An obstacle of a lifetime I see.

And from my side of this fence,

The hurdle is too high for me.

And on the other side of this fence,

There seems nowhere to land or flee.

I have arrived at this fence,

Above the pickets, just grey sky.

And on my side of this fence,

The grass is brown and dry.

On the other side of this fence,

The grass is green, but still I cry.

How am I to clear this fence,

There seems nowhere to go or get by.

This fence, all built of stones,

Breaks my spirit, and all my bones.

Ivor Steven (c) November 2023

Willpower? (a Tanka)

Dear readers, especially those who frequent my site, you may have notice during the last several months, I have often mention in my poems, that I am very tired … today, after numerous blood tests and what nots, I have been officially diagnosed with “Diabetes”

Late evening, the sun sets, early morning, the sun rises again …

Willpower? (a Tanka)

“Why am I so tired?

What’s the diagnosis Doc?

You’ve diabetes!

That is not good Doc, now what?

Don’t fret, you’ve the will to cope”

Ivor Steven (c) November 2023

Flying Bricks of War (again)

I am posting this poem “again” … there is War “again” … more innocent lives will be “Lost”
Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge is the word, Lost … please visit their fabulous site by clicking on >> Here

Featured Image Above: Gaza Strip border, Kibbutz Netiv Ha’Asara, Israel © Kai Wiendenhofer

Flying Bricks of War

There is a divisive brick wall

That stands harsh and tall

To stop people from breaking their fall

Then the leaders in ivory towers

Ceased talking about peace and flowers

And hurled bricks into that sandy strip

One brick after another brick

Flew from one side to the other

Smashing innocent children and mothers

Flying bricks crumbling into dust

Creating dirty clouds of mistrust

The walls of Babylon fell again

As brick upon brick crushed human brains

Brick upon brick filled the bloody drains

Brick upon brick killed and maimed

Ivor Steven (c) October 2023

Throwback Friday, Crooked Ways (Revision #2)

I originally wrote this poem in January 2019, here today I have revised the piece for a second time.

Crooked Ways (Revision #2)

I’m not to be told, how to live my life

It’s been over a decade since having lost my wife

I’m not a great philosopher

Nor a modern fashion writer

I’m not a sprightly young surfer

Never clever enough to be bursar

Too old to be a toiling plumber

And these days I prefer to pen poetry

Some say you are never too old

Whatever, I shall always be bold

With my plans to reach for the stars

And continue to travel my crooked ways

Ivor Steven (c) October 2023

Cyberspace and Melted Digitals (revised #2)

I’ve been having computer problems for over a month and appropriately I have dug up this old poem and revised it … However, some good news today, my brother said that the computer is fixable and he has started the refurbishment process

Cyberspace and Melted Digitals

This crazy, distorted cyberspace

Can be a dishonest place

Like talking to aliens from outer space

False profiles with no trace

I dislike the blank screen’s cool embrace

Documents unreadable at the coalface

As if they’re hiding from the human race

Or that grand theft of the writer’s database

I’d like to tie together their ” Boot” laces

See them tumble and fall from grace

Straight down the duck-muck-covered staircase

And melt all their digital’s in the fireplace

Ivor Steven (c) October 2023