Category: Photos

Swan

Featured Image Above: A photograph I copied from Derrick Knight’s fabulous site, and was taken by his wife Jackie. You may visit his article/site by clicking on this link >> Preening Swans – derrickjknight


Swan




Honouring the ancient lakes of Aberdeen

Are you our planet’s queen

Shyly overseeing this world’s fading green



Serenely grateful and gracious

Solemnly thoughtful and virtuous

Calmly valorous and veracious




No matter your birthright

You are equally adorned black or white

Colour is not your feathers blight

But nature’s pearls of delight






Ivor Steven (c) January 2021

Proudly the Music Plays

The inauguration was an awesome event, and here in Australia I could sense the importance of this day, and here is my little tribute to the occasion…
Featured Image Above: GettyImages/miami.cbslocal

Proudly the Music Plays

The grand day was but a windfall

Of upstanding pyramids in time

And I, a tiny cog in the world’s clock

Was proud to have my feet back on this rock


Where I could hear the sounds of nature

Playing a harmonious tune about the future

And her music became the ink in my quill

Floating upon every solemn word I did spill






Ivor Steven (c) January 2021

A Moments Reprieve



A Moments Reprieve



Yesterday’s roadside kill

Was an accident, written by my quill

This morning, I spoke to our broken world

And we agreed, to give life another whirl

During moments like these

Here feeling a summer breeze

Caress my sweaty brow

I rest under our trees leafy bows

Where I do savour the air I breathe

Where I do relax and take my leave

To appreciate a moments reprieve

As I drift into my world of make believe

With My Dragon for protection at my side

And those mischievous faeries as my trusty guides



Featured Image: wallpapersafari.com




Ivor Steven (c) January 2021

Who Is Responsible

Featured Image Above: A sketch by my niece Kerri Costello

Today I am presenting the “second” ‘5min’ poem that I wrote at Ali Grimsham’s ‘Writing Circle’ Zoom meeting, that I attended on Monday this week, and this was my 2nd session/week with the group, and I am having a delightful time. Here is the page link to get more information about the next writing circle. https://flashlightbatteries.blog/online-writing-circles/ Tickets by donation. All are welcome.


Who Is Responsible



Our responsibilities come and go

Some do leave, others do grow

There is a limit

To how many breaths we need a day

And there is a limit

To the length of our stay

Here sitting on yesterday

Approving of life’s work today

I ponder about tomorrow

Looking out beyond my dirty window

For the direction of next years ice-flow

To avoid last years cloudless shadows

And dodge this year’s poison arrows





Ivor Steven (c) January 2021.

A Conversation Without Words

Today I am presenting another ‘5min’ poem that I have written at one of Ali Grimsham’s ‘Writing Circle’ Zoom meetings that I attend on Monday’s, and this was my 2nd session with the group, and I am having a delightful time. Here is the page link to get more information about the next writing circle. https://flashlightbatteries.blog/online-writing-circles/ Tickets by donation. All are welcome.

A Conversation Without Words

I see her lips curve

I see her mouth move

The words I do not understand

But I know the meaning of that sound

I sense the inflection in her tone

And her silent eyes tell no lies

I savour her smile

I gently hold her hand

And through her soft palm

I feel her heartbeat caress mine





Ivor Steven (c) January 2021

Rebuild a Better Home



Forget yesterday’s unopened letters

Roll-up the sleeves of our winter sweaters

Clean-up the planets dirty carburetors

And reassemble last years scattered leggos better

Vaccinate our vulnerable from unknown carriers

And protect our hardworking warriors

Beware of societies unforgiving enemies

And expand your personal boundaries

It’s time to become a world community

And fight for the future of humanity






Ivor Steven (c) January 2021

Haiga and Haiku

Featured Image Above: A Haiga, a drawing by my niece Kerri, with my attached Haiku

I’m a member of an on-line photography group, which has been interesting and fun for me. Each day we have a different topic/prompt to do, and yesterday’s topic was “Haiga”; Haiga is a style of Japanese painting that incorporates the aesthetics of haikai. Haiga are typically painted by haiku poets, and often accompanied by a haiku poem. Like the poetic form it accompanied, haiga was based on simple, yet often profound, observations of the everyday world. Stephen Addiss points out that “since they are both created with the same brush and ink, adding an image to a haiku poem was… a natural activity.” Well below I am sharing with you my response to the prompt. The pen and ink picture was painted by Carole in 1975(the year we met), and I wrote the attached Haiku in 2019.






Ivor Steven (c) January 2021

I Have Been Here Before

Today I am presenting the second ‘5min’ poem that I wrote during Ali Grimsham’s ‘Writing Circle’ Zoom meeting I attended on Monday. Here is the page link to get more information about the next writing circle. https://flashlightbatteries.blog/online-writing-circles/ Tickets by donation. All are welcome.


I Have Been Here Before

do I need to be anywhere else

but be near the ocean’s caressing waves

where my heart feels complete

with warm sand between my toes

and a cool breeze to tingle my bones

as the sea salt dries on my skin

for now. ‘I am almost alive’ *

here. ‘I am almost at home’ *

away from life’s plastic chrome

** these words, ‘I am almost alive’ and. ‘I am almost at home’ are from Leonard Cohen’s song, ‘The Goal’




Ivor Steven (c) January 2021