Category: Nature

Throwback Friday, Innocent Millipedes

Today’s Throwback Friday poem was written in March 2022, and appears in my third book, “Until Eyes Hear Sound”, Chapter 1, Little Creatures and Birds, page 6



Innocent Millipedes



Please Mr Shootin’ Putin
Do not roll your tanks of destruction
Over the innocent Mr & Mrs Millipede
Millipedes were the earliest animals to breathe air
And make the move from water to land
They date back 428 million years
Now people of the world cannot hold back their tears

Did you know Mr Shootin’ Putin
That Millipedes are fairly timid critters
Docile decomposers that live in the leaf litter
Of forests all over the world!
They aren’t flashy or fast
And they follow the motto
“Slow and steady wins the race”
Millipedes are peaceful
They don’t bite
They can’t sting
And they don’t have pincers to fight back

Please Mr Shootin’ Putin
Do not roll your tanks of destruction
Over the innocence of creation







.


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




Ivor Steven (c) March 2025

The Final Phase

Today (Friday) was the sixth day of our visits to the Geelong Botanical Gardens Conservatory to view the “Corpse Plant’s Flower” bloom, then quickly deteriorate.

The images below represent the “Flowers” phenomenal six-day journey.


After leaving the conservatory, we had a picnic lunch in the shade of an American Sweet Gum and photographed some interesting and colourful plants.


We hope you have enjoyed being introduced to the incredible “Corpse Plant” and our walks around the magnificent “Geelong Botanical Gardens”








Ivor Steven (c) November 2024

The Collapse Begins

Today (Thursday), I observed that the “Flower’s” central spike (the Spadix) had begun to bend and lean over, and the “Corpse Plant’s Flower” was noticeably deteriorating.

After viewing the “Plant,” we went to the Botanical Gardens Cafe for Coffee and Cake, located, in a delightful open verandah area.

In the bottom right photo, Frankie is looking at a mosquito that has landed on his nose

Then we visited the Gardens’ renowned “Tree Fern” precinct …


Below Photos have their name tags inserted … click on the individual images to read the plants’ name …








Ivor Steven (c) November 2024

The “Flower’s” Curtain is Closing

Today (Wednesday), the “Corpse Plant’s” Flower had begun wilting and closing up. I think the next stage of the flower’s demise will be the collapse/folding over of the central spike (the Spadix). Yes! … I’m coming back tomorrow.

Because there were no queues today! we had time to explore and discovered some interesting displays in the Botanical Gardens.

Frankie in the dog house at the old Customs House





Wow … it’s nearly midnight … these pictorial articles/posts are taking me a long time to prepare and put together! … now, to find a suitable song …






Ivor Steven (c) November 2024

The “Corpse” Flower is One Day Old

The Corpse Plant flower will start deteriorating soon, so we enthusiastically (maybe Frankie was not so keen!) went to the “Gardens” for another close-up view today, and we’ll probably come back tomorrow. The phenomenal event has captured my imagination and I will not miss the next stage of the ‘flower’s short existence …

Yes Frankie! we’re in the queue again …

Yes Frankie! we’re nearly there

Yes Frankie! we’re inside and I can see the ‘flower’

Yes Frankie! we’re here, and the “Corpes Flower” is ours for few moments

Yes Frankie! the ‘Flower’ was big news in the newspaper today








Ivor Steven (c) October 2024

Visiting the “Corpse Plant”

Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend’s Challenge is the word ‘Method’. Please visit their fabulous site by clicking on >> Here.
There was a ‘Method’ in our madness of visiting a “Corpse” today …

The “Corpse Plant” getting ready to bloom, and Frankie is watching closely






Visiting the “Corpse Plant”

Today we went to Geelong’s glorious Botanical Gardens
Our main objective was to see, the “Corpse Plant” flowering
Also named the Titan Arum
This extraordinary plant
Is renowned for the powerful smell
It releases when it blooms
A scent likened to rotting flesh
Hence its nickname, the “corpse plant.”

Alas, “Not today Josephine”
But “We’ll be Back”, tomorrow and the next day
To capture a live viewing of the flower in full bloom
As it only blooms unpredictably, just once every ten years
The corpse plant bloom itself lasts only 24 to 48 hours
So we’ll need to visit quickly to catch this unique sight



The video below is a live YouTube broadcast of the “Corpse” plant. Hopefully, you’ll be able to view the unusual flower as it blooms.



And here is a “Time Lapse” video from Dunedin City Council, New Zealand …






I had a difficult time trying to choose an appropriate music/video for today’s post, and I eventually selected this one by “Of Monsters and Men”









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 directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) November 2024

Blown Away (a Haiku)



Today’s cold windstorm

Penetrated every pore

With icy needles








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) September 2023

Droplets of Joy, is in this Week’s Coffee House Writers Magazine

Hello dear readers and followers, I am now writing for “Coffee House Writers” magazine on a fortnightly basis, and my poem “Droplets of Joy”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. … please click on the link below to view my poem, at Coffee House Writers Magazine. >> https://coffeehousewriters.com/droplets-of-joy/

This poem is the second Ekphrastic piece I wrote from the Geelongs Writers Ekphrastic Workshop that I attended last week, and the attached photo below, is of Gale Jarmyn’s beautiful painting “Leaves in the Sunshine”, which inspired me to write this poem “Droplets of Joy”, and after chatting with her at the official opening of the Art Exhibition, (at which I recited the poem), she kindly allowed me to reproduce my photo of her lovely Painting, here on my Poetry Website.









Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2023

The White Azalea Peace Garden

Hello dear readers and followers, I am reposting this poem I wrote in July 2022 in response to Eugi’s “Moonwashed Weekly Prompt” – Peaceable … to visit her fabulous site, please click on >> Here





The White Azalea Peace Garden


I stare at the garden plaque

There on the ground

In front of the white Azalea bushes


I sit on the park bench and wonder

Here under a clear blue sky

Why? Does the sun shine on our world


I was born in nineteen fifty one

Here under a broken moon

During the second year of the Korean War


I stand and walk away

Where must I go?

To view the whole of the moon



Neon Blue




Neon Blue (a Haiku)


Our sky’s neon blue

The bright side of winter blue

Warming our toes too










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) August 2023