Category: Peace

We Are Sour, But We Have the Power

Out of the blue ocean, into the black sea

We still appear wet behind our ears

And still burning bridges made out of ancient trees

Repeating the same old questions, while wearing our masks of tears

 

What about looking at nature’s dragonflies and bees?

How do they live in harmony without the fears?

We are the carriers of this corrupt disease

Ignoring our racist problems for too many years

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  June 2020

Below, the lyrics to “Nina Cried Power” by Hozier, please read and sing along…..

“Nina Cried Power”
(feat. Mavis Staples)

[Hozier:]
It’s not the waking, it’s the rising
It is the grounding of a foot uncompromising
It’s not forgoing of the lie
It’s not the opening of eyes
It’s not the waking, it’s the risingIt’s not the shade, we should be past it
It’s the light, and it’s the obstacle that casts it
It’s the heat that drives the light
It’s the fire it ignites
It’s not the waking, it’s the rising

It’s not the song, it is the singing
It’s the heaven of a human spirit ringing
It is the bringing of the line
It is the bearing of the rhyme
It’s not the waking, it’s the rising

[Hozier & Mavis Staples:]
And I could cry power (Power), power (Power)
Power, Lord
Nina cried power
Billie cried power
Mavis cried power
And I could cry (Power) power, (Power) power
Hey, power
Curtis cried power
Patti cried power
Nina cried power

[Hozier:]
It’s not the wall, but what’s behind it
Oh, the fear of fellow man, it’s mere assignment
And everything that we’re denied
By keeping the divide
It’s not the waking, it’s the rising

[Hozier & Mavis Staples:]
And I could cry power (Power), power (Power)
Oh, power
Nina cried power
Lennon cried power
James Brown cried power
And I could cry (Power) power, (Power) power
Hey, power
B.B. cried power
Joni cried power
Nina cried power

[Mavis Staples:]
And I could cry power
Power has been cried by those stronger than me
Straight into the face that tells you
To rattle your chains if you love being free

[Hozier & Mavis Staples:]
But I could cry power (Power)
‘Cause power is my love when my love reaches to me
James Brown cried power
Seeger cried power
Marvin cried power
Yeah ah, power
James cried power
Lennon cried power
Patti cried power
Billie, power
Dylan, power
Woody, power
Nina cried power

Who’s The Saddest

.

My smokey eyes have been faltering

Sad necessary tears have me wavering

Looking down the knife-edges

Balancing on red cliff-edges

.

How will the fog of darkness be lifted?

From angry souls that have drifted

Mirror, mirror, who’s the saddest

Mirror, mirror, where is forgiveness

.

The heart-breakers came around

Killing a black-rose on the ground

Deep down we all feel hollow

And none can see the peace-smoke halo

.

.

Ivor Steven (c) June 2020

We Sing, and We Sing

Is there a song?

Between who is sad, and who is wrong

Beyond this prolonged swan song

 

How long, is too long?

Along these throngs of torch songs

Headstrong, and head-on

 

We know their theme song

We are all in the wrong

Oh. We, are the wrong

 

Listen to the birdsong

Listen to her lifelong song

Listen to nature humming along

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  May 2020.

“We, The Drowned”, Lyrics by Lisa Hannigan

We, the drowned
Hold our hollow hearted ground
Til we swallow ourselves down
AgainWe, the ashes,
We spend our days like matches
And burned ourselves as black as
The end.

 

We know not the fire in which we burn
But we sing and we sing
And the flames grow higher.
We read not the pages which we turn
But we sing, and we sing, and we sing, and we sing

We, the wrong,
We the sewn up and long gone,
Were before and all along
Like this

We, the drowned
The lost and found out,
We are all finished again.

Grandma’s Hands

I wonder what mum and grandma are thinking

Mum was born after the First World War

A child of the roaring twenties

Then she became a poor teenager, of the great depression

And a young nurse, during the horror’s of a second World War

A time when everyone’s supplies were rationed

 

Everyone helped each other, when things run out

Everyone knew a son, that been killed in the war

Everyone gave you a soft shoulder to lean on

Everyone shared each others pain

Our parents and grandparents survived

And taught us compassion, and the value of every single life

 

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  March 2020

Boy In A Bubble

I’m living inside my bubble of air and sea

But my shadow is drifting away from me

A distant silhouette beyond my arms reach

Now I’m an isolated sand-grain off yesterday’s beach

 

I’m walking alone and free in today’s daydream

Thinking of life, crossing-over to be with my honey and cream*

This commonwealth of man has isolated the birds and bees

Now I’m hoping to hug this dark forest’s future trees

 

honey and cream* >> https://ivors20.wordpress.com/2018/10/28/cream-and-honey-2/

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  March 2020

Almost There

Almost There

 

So I Say Hello to you

I turned away from you

After almost six weeks

Of this harrowing streak

It’s been no stroll in the park

Resting here in the semi dark

The painful knives have been withdrawn

The headaches have almost retired

I’m almost well enough

To enjoy Christmas with family

And by the start of two thousand and twenty

I’ll be almost here, I’ll be almost me again

So I say hello to you

And wish you a happy and healthy festive season

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Dec 2019

A Cheery Santa

A Cheery Santa

 

The season of merry cheer is here

There’s always many Christmas parties

They seem to begin weeks before

Yesterday Santa was at the Valhalla Bar

Ho ho, he was big happy Santa

With a sackful of gifts for everyone

I’m one of the oldest children there

I know he’s not really real

As I had a beer with him 10 minutes before

Yes, big friendly Reg, became Santa

For me, a stubbie holder and a T-shirt

Even a can of Valhalla beer

And Santa Reg joined me for more frothy cheer

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Dec 2019

A Different Beat

Hello dear readers, again I’ve been browsing through some of my older poems, that have stashed away, and not been published by me/nor posted here on WordPress. And here’s another one of these personal love poems, 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……

A Different Beat

 

They say, “love makes the world go around”

I think my, “loving world” has just been re-found

My life is madly spinning like a colourful top

Whirling at a humming speed, unable to stop

 

My once lonely heart, is pounding a different beat

Throbbing from inside my chest, to the soles of my feet

This surprising emotion of sharing all my deepest love

Could have been ordained by my angel, there high above

 

Ivor Steven (c)  October 2019