Violin Strings (Revised)

Today’s poem, is a piece I originally wrote in June 2017, and the words were influenced by Leonard Cohen’s song, “Show Me The Place”, and this being the 3rd anniversary of his passing, I thought it an appropriated week to re-post my poem. I’ve slightly revised the poem, but overall the meaning of my words have stayed intact.. The Featured Image above, is scanned copy from, “The Wordless Songbook, Leonard Cohen, by George A. Walker, page/113, (A book, in my personal library)

Violin Strings

I’m singing a song, about you

Singing words, both wistful and true

From my heart to my soul, the veins

They’re as tight as violin strings

I needed you, to take my hand

Take my hand and show me the way

Show me the way, to a formal debut

Show me the way, into your dancing shoes

I needed you, to take my dreams

Take my dreams and show me how to behave

Show me the way, to your family home

Show me how to drink, from your holy grail

I needed you, to take my open heart

Take my heart and show me how to pray

Show me the way, into your world

Show me how to fly, in your milky-way

I needed you, to write some heavenly notes

Take my violin and show me how to play

Show me the way, to your harp’s wings

Show me the way, into your tunes

But in the end, you took my heartstrings

Then you burnt my soulful lines

Melting my broken violin

Into unplayable, twisted strings

A Singer Must Die

Three years ago

On that day

I cried

I cannot forget

The death of a ladies man

When he found his, sisters of mercy

On this day, hallelujah

I now, fondly remember

By the rivers dark

In the land of plenty

Our, Field Commander Cohen

Singing from above, in his, Tower of Song

And below, I’ve attach the entire music/video of the ‘Leonard Cohen Memorial Concert’ from, Centre Bell, Montreal, QC, Canada | November 6, 2017. The video goes for 1 hour and 30 minutes, and is certainly well worth watching. Enjoy !!

Ivor Steven (c) Nov 7th 2019

Tea Leaf’s

Tea Leaf’s (Revised)

It’s early morn, time to break away

From last night’s, dream-time soiree

But first, I must make my bed

“Yes, just like Mum said”

Oh, I gratefully do remember

As I straighten the quilt cover

And I like to fluff-up my pillows

Ready for an evening’s bout, with stupid cupid’s arrows

I’ve a long, storage bedhead shelf

However I’m smiling, satisfied within myself

It’s always untidy and in disarray

And last nights scribbles are all on display

I gather up this multitude of loose words

The mess of my midnight songbirds

Snippets of my subconscious memories

Pieces of forgotten wistful dreams

And I begin to decode my jumbled site

Then emotionally, I start to rewrite

About the tea-leaf’s, floating on a calm sea

Forming love letters, from her to me

Ivor Steven (c) Nov 2019

Tullawalla # 13

Hello dear readers and followers, again I must apologise for not being on WordPress and blogging with my normal zest…. I’ve been arduously preparing and typing up my Thirteenth Tullawalla Poetry Booklet…..I’ve been lucky enough to have a wet weekend, which gave me enough time to prepare the booklet. For new readers that don’t know about these booklets, they are basically the reason why I write poetry. I produce the booklets for the sole purpose of raising funds for my favourite charity organization, the MS Society, in Australia via the MS Charity Shop here in Geelong. And actually all money’s I receive for any of my poetry submissions, I also donate to the MS Society…..Amazingly, there is a total of “533 poems”, in my collection of 13 Tullawalla Booklets. Anyhow the booklet is finally completed, and as always, they are available for purchase, either as a hard copy or a PDF format….. All proceeds go to the MS Charity Shop, here in Geelong West….. Please contact me here through my web site page and I can chat about arrangements from there…. Oh, the booklet is called “Tullawalla: Waterlogged Boots”, and coincidently, my poem “Waterlogged Boots”, was published at ‘FREE VERSE REVOLUTION’ today >> visit there site >> https://freeverserevolution.wordpress.com …. And here is the link to my website >> ivors20.wordpress.com

Of course my song selection here, is going to be a Leonard Cohen classic, and I’m picking his song “Anthem”……. yes, let us all ring the bells……. “7th Nov 2016″……

“Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in” …. Leonard Cohen, from his song , Anthem, 1992….

Ivor Steven (c) Nov 2019

Flame and Sorrow

Here is my article, in response to, this weekend’s, Weekly Prompts Challenge, to the Colour Challenge FLAME! …. I’ve selected a song by Icelandic band ‘Solstafir’ for the topic “Flame”…. After you’ve watched the video, you will understand why I chose Solstafir’s song Lagnaetti, which translates to ‘Low Night’….. Below I’ve attached the translated lyrics, and the fascinating music/video of ‘Solsafir’s’, Lagnaetti… I do hope the readers enjoy this interesting piece, and the finale Flame

The English translation to the lyrics of “Lagnaetti” a song by Solstafir

Versions:

Where are you now? I can’t find you here.

I sit by your side; there’s no heat.

But everything must pass on, death’s last custom.

I hurt and betrayed you in my ugly game.

The price is so high with the heart at a doorway.

The bitter feeling of hate, myself always tormented.

In the cruel clutches of death, the sorrow hewed at the string.

Already miss you and call you my love.

I try to stand up straight, but I know I’ll end alone.

Because the black hatred in the heart is our Lord,

The supply of life has fallen into a coma.

Given up completely, the struggle died, now I crawl on my knees.

On a knife’s blade dancing wobbly and sore.

Ivor Steven (c) Nov 2019

Let It Rain

Let It Rain

Rain’s thudding on the verandah, loud and hard

Fat drops are flooding my courtyard

The deluge’s symphony has been playing all night

And the grey cloud dawn, needs assistance from my porch light

The welcomed downpour, is coolly refreshing

My garden ferns and flowers are happily dancing

Although the noise of pelting rain

Has my morning music’s hum, being drowned

As leaves and cascading waters, gurgle down the drain

I listen a legend singing, with passion about the rain

Ivor Steven (c) Nov 2019

Knowing You

Hello dear readers, here I am again with another one of these personal love poems, that I’ve been posting recently,… . from a time, when I had a new lady in my life. I thought maybe it’s about time I presented these pieces from my archives. The relationship finished four years ago, so I thought that enough time has lapsed, for me to now show you, another side/story of my life….

Knowing You

I know our time, has only been a few weeks

But our future, seems so much longer

I know our journey, has just begun

But our path, seems so easy to follow

I know our nature, is to be cautious

But our fears, seem to be vague

I know our past pains, are real

But our honesty, seems so pure

I know exchanged words, are free

But our souls, seem to know the truth

Ivor Steven (c) October 2019

Tanka: Moon Tree

The midweek Word Prompt over on Weekly Prompts, is Halloween! . Today I’m posting my first try at writing a, Tanka, Please click >> Here, to visit “Weekly Prompts” fabulous site…

Tanka: Moon Tree

No! Don’t go up there

The old tree house is haunted

Full moon night, glares

Children’s Halloween costumes

Knock! Knock! Scary pranks, for treats

Ivor Steven (c) October 2019

A Voice, A First Date

Hello dear readers, I found another folder of my older poems today. I had called the poem booklet, “Honour And Wisdom”. And here’s another one of these personal love poems, that I’ve been posting recently,… ., from a time, when I had new lady in my life. I thought maybe it’s about time I presented these pieces from my archives. The relationship finished four years ago, so I thought that enough time has lapsed, for me to now show you, another side/story of my life….……I am also presenting this article, on “Go Dog Go Cafe’s” fabulous initiative, Promote Yourself Monday’s….. To visit their wonderful site, please Click >>HERE

A Voice, A First Date

The moons glowing, silvery stark

My dream’s a shadow in the dark

She’s a cloud of mystique

I’ve only heard words, on my wrist

The sun’s rising, I’m forlorn

My heart’s been pounding ’til dawn

She’s a pillow, a quiet wish

Only a voice, from an abyss

A new lady, a stranger

The meeting, it’s all arranged

Butterflies flutter, our first date

I shall not be late

An anxious rendezvous

Soon an open book to view

Writing these lines, as I wait

Serendipity, destines our fate

Ivor Steven (c) October 2019

My Book Covers

This weekend the Photo Challenge, on Weekly Prompts is, Cover. Today I’m experimenting and trying something completely different for me. I will be attempting to produce a “Video Book Cover”…… For my readers that might not know, the third anniversary of Leonard Cohen’s passing, is on the 7th of November, and appropriately, I’m posting this article as a tribute to Leonard Cohen…. The Book Cover photos, are of the Leonard Cohen books I have in my collection here in my writers haven…..The video is short piece that I’ve created, that goes for 28 seconds, and to play the video click on the arrow in the bottom left of the frame. .. . …however despite the small duration, I am ecstatic with the final outcome of my Book –Cover

Below, I’m attaching a very recent music/video of Leonard Cohen’s brilliant poem, “Happens to The Heart”, his lyrics are superb and the visual effect of the video is definitely stunning……

Ivor Steven (c) October 2019