Miles From Home, is up at Spillwords Magazine


I am ecstatic that my poem “Miles From Home”, that I posted here on site only last week, has already been accepted and published at Spillwords Magazine today, and I am very grateful to the editor Dagmara for selecting my piece .. Pease go and visit my poem at Spillwords and if you wish, leave a 💗 for my article, by clicking on this link >> https://spillwords.com/miles-from-home/



MILES FROM HOME

written by: Ivor Steven

@ivors20

Today
I went left, instead of right
No matter what direction
Or decision I choose
At the end of day
There will be night
My time to rest
And remain out of sight

Tomorrow
I shall take the back roads
Miles away from my troubled life
Miles and miles
Beyond those evil eyes of strife

Tonight
I will sleep under the stars
With my loyal companion
By my side

Now
He gives me that inquisitive stare
“Don’t look at me like that
I know mate, I know
I should never have left the wife”







Ivor Steven (c) September 2022

I Wish, I Was Green, is up at Coffee House Writers Magazine

Hello dear readers and followers, I now write for “Coffee House Writers” magazine on a fortnightly basis, and my poem “I Wish, I Was Green”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. … please click on the link below to read my poem, at Coffee House Writers.
>> https://coffeehousewriters.com/i-wish-i-was-green/









Ivor Steven ©  September 2022

One More Spoonful

On Weekly Prompts this weekend, the challenge word Glimmer. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking on >> Here And is a poem I wrote back in January, that I thought to be suitable piece for the prompt …

Hello dear readers, I had a difficult time writing this poem, as my thoughts were jumbled and confused, but eventually after toiling away, I think the piece gradually developed into something resembling my initial dreamy thoughts … And then I could not make up my mind on the title, between “A Shining” or “One More Spoonful” ..





One More Spoonful

I was reading my never ending story

about crossing the rivers of time

and climbing a mountain of dreams

then along the crest of a misty waterfall

a mysterious rainbow appeared at dawn

as a shimmering glimmer of hope

and above my unreachable horizon

there was a shining

tempting me to turn around

and resume paddling upstream

to where I could savour

a spoonful of life’s cream






Ivor Steven (c) September 2022

Tullawalla Is Here!!

My old school-case from sixty-years ago, full of “Tullawalla Books”



My house has been invaded by “Tullawalla Books” … come over and join the party, and lets celebrate … my long awaited SELF-PUBLISHED new edition is NOW available
… contact me via my web-email >> ivorrs20@gmail.com The book is only $20.00 AU plus postage & handling. If you are interested in purchasing a book, send me an email, I’ll send a PayPal Invoice out to you.


This Fence (Tullawalla, page 33)


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) September 2022

The Last Chicane (Revised) 

“The Last Chicane” is a poem I wrote in October 2019, and this morning I reworded several lines …





The Last Chicane (Revised)


 

I have been climbing every rung 

Even the broken ones unsung 

I have played every sad song 

Even when the words were wrong 


I saw my bird fly away 

Even though her nest stays here today 

I have praised my swan’s eternal fight 

Even through her turbulent flights 


I am listening to the bells chiming 

Even above lyrics that are not rhyming 

I am beginning to flutter my wings again 

Even after missing the last chicane 

I am preparing for the next equestrian 

Even though I am a lost pedestrian 






Ivor Steven (c) September 2022

A Steep Slide (a Musette)

Recently Ryan Stone [https://daysofstone.wordpress.com/] introduced me to a new poem format Musette, and today I am presenting my first attempt at writing a Musette.
“Musette” 
three verses
 
first line – 2 syllables 
second line – 4 syllables 
third line – 2 syllables 

rhyme scheme – a/b/a c/d/c e/f/e 
title reflects poems content
 


A Steep Slide (a Musette)




I creep

Down the steep slide

I weep


Betrayed

I hide and shake

Afraid


I crawl

Away from shame

And bawl






Ivor Steven (c) September 2022

Miles From Home

At my ‘Dome Poetry Group’ (here in Geelong) the prompt is to write a poem (any form) inspired by a phrase on the last page of a book. (Reveal the source.) I chose “Another Yellow Door” by C Flaherty Brown, and below is the last phrase in her book, followed by my ‘Fictional Poem’, Miles From Home.




Miles From Home 


Today 

I went left, instead of right 

No matter what direction 

Or decision I choose 

At the end of day 

There will be night 

My time to rest  

And remain out of sight 


Tomorrow 

I shall take the backroads 

Miles away from my troubled life 

Miles and miles 

Beyond those evil eyes of strife 


Tonight 

I will sleep under the stars 

With my loyal companion


Now

He gives me that inquisitive stare 

“Don’t look at me like that 

I know mate, I know 

I should never have left the wife” 






Ivor Steven ©  September 2022

Salvation Sunday (a Birthday poem for Kylie)

My Faerie writing book and the words I was penciling today



Salvation Sunday (a Birthday poem for Kylie)


A lazy Sunday afternoon

We are both resting

Frankie is napping/snoring

As usual he lets me share the bed


I am penciling these words

Into my Faerie writing book

A well used birthday gift

From my adorable niece Kerri

She lives in Philadelphia

Here I am in Geelong

We are worlds apart

But joined at the heart


We were chatting earlier

The time difference still confuses me

Yesterday was her niece’s birthday

Kylie is now fourteen

Wow, time flies, she was only ten

When I last saw her


Happy birthday dear Kylie

I miss your gorgeous smile

Hey! I miss all you guys

Cheers from uncle Ivor

Hugs and kisses to everyone

Over there in Philadelphia






Ivor Steven (c) September 2022

A Nomad (Revised)

A poem I originally wrote in July 2019, and today I am posting this revised version.



A Nomad (Revised)


I’m writing a letter to yesterday’s nomad

The drifter of my dreams, alone and sad

My nomad’s world is flowing wider

Broken trees floating on a flooding river


These empty words, today seem drier

The receding waters, now a wet season’s Indian giver


This final message, I falsely send

We shake hands, smile, our eyes pretend

My heart sinks, my nomad boards the next boat

Noah’s ark departs, I walk home, alone, in my raincoat






Ivor Steven (c)  September 2022