Photograph by Derrick Knight, https://derrickjknight.com/2025/10/20/a-rainy-forest-drive/ —whose lens captured this rooftop sentinel, where vein, vane, and vain converge in eerie silhouette. A moment of atmospheric ambiguity that stirred the pulse behind these lines.
Vein, Vane, and Vain
Beyond the tower of power, I see an ambiguous, billowing vein Lingering above the dim atmosphere.
The ancient weather vane Whirls and curls instantly When nature alters direction.
The modern receiving antenna Vainly waits for a distorted signal, Decoding the Alien’s telepathic pulse, Which then directs us on how to conform.
I slyly lookup In silent amusement At the old chiseled face Of my Grandfather clock And I see his shaky hands of time Are too bleak and meek To strike the midday chime
I slowly close my eyes Overused muscles are cramping Weakened bones feel brittle This complicated mind is tired And my dream needs to sleep Before I can write another rhyme
Last week, Derrick posted an interesting article about “Recycling Rocks” which prompted the pebbles in my head to tumble around. Please Note: Derrick Knight took the photos, and he kindly allowed me to reproduce them on my poetry site. >> https://derrickjknight.com/2025/02/18/recycling-rocks
Rocks
Our buried rocks are not in the wrong Isn’t that where they belong?
Some rocks like to live below the ground Others lie exposed and love to be found
I have heard of people owning pet rocks Do they put them to bed, in pyjamas and socks?
Some humans have never had their minds unlocked They are an uninventive and uninteresting stock That wear ear-muffs made from yesterday’s iceblocks
Robbie’s Inspiration – Book reviews: Perceptions by Ivor Steven and Derrick Knight
What Amazon says
This colourful and fascinating book is a collection of collaborative articles. The photographs were taken by Derrick Knight from the New Forest area of southern England, and associated ekphrastic poems were written by Ivor Steven from Geelong, the other side of the world, the southern end of Australia.
My review
I am a fan of Ivor Steven’s poetry and also of Derrick Knight’s photography so this combined collection of poetry and photography is a real treat.
Ivor depicts everyday events and life through a lens of beautiful and uplifting words which is a marvelous talent. Derrick captures everyday life in an unusual and special way. I really enjoyed these combinations.
A few examples of the poetry with descriptions of the accompanying photographs:
Sunset couple on bench – a gorgeous photograph of the sun setting over water and flooding the world with golden light with a silhouette of a loving couple on a bench.
The words: A Rainbow Dance “At the end of the rainbow We shall dance and glow On nature’s golden plateau”
Autumn woodland – a wonderful photograph of a wooded area during autumn which the trees are a variety of yellows, greens and auburns. There is a large bush, in shades of beige, in the forefront.
An extract from Connected: “up there under draconian dark clouds I see a blue moon rising gracefully shrouding the horizon”
Ferns and grasses – a glorious picture of ferns and grasses adorned in shades of green and yellow, dancing in the sunlight.
Extract from The Ancient Fern Survives: “selfish, unopened minds remain numbed False eyelashes are heavy and closed Botoxed lips are silent and sealed And elephant ears have been pegged out of sight”
This book is a special combination of visual and literary delights.
The ancient wheels of time Have been mysteriously left behind In refuse paddocks of weeds and slime Oh, what a mortifying crime
Has society overstepped the line Spoke-less, with no rhythm or rhyme Have we become deaf, dumb, and blind Unable to handle the future’s slippery climb Without using the New World’s AI design
Under a shady tree, I grow I wriggle my toes Into the moist mossy mound Where the sun never touches the ground
I push upward without a sound Wearing a small golden crown That covers my short nightgown Then I open and shakedown Over the undergrowth’s brown eiderdown
Selfish, unopened minds remain numbed False eyelashes are heavy and closed Botoxed lips are silent and sealed And elephant ears have been pegged out of sight
But there under our careless feet The earth’s ferns have agelessly survived Three hundred and sixty million years Without changing the appearance of their golden leaves That timelessly regenerate themselves By naturally releasing their fertilising spores
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 