Category: Photos

Many More Sunrises

Today I was up and going at sunrise

Preparing for an important check-up on my heart’s demise

Early in the morning an angel came and shaved my chest

Ready for the procedures arduous test

And I was wired-up and plugged in

Calmly listening to sounds of harps playing

Then I heard a tune by Leonard Cohen

And my mind was peacefully drifting



I’m smiling, I must have looked contented

My Doctor nodded in acknowledgement

Seeing my ‘muses’ T-shirt at the bedhead

Suddenly, faster and stepper I must tread

Until finally the machine slowed down

And I’m resting on the bed in my hospital gown

Waiting for my heartrate to normalise

Then the angel leans over and whispers, “you’ll see many more sunrises”




Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2020.

Who’s Carrying the Torch

This new Fall fell

Leaving us no time to dwell

Nothing will ever be the same

Where’s the old Olympic flame?



The world’s bubble has burst

Pricked by a deflating curse

Then captured inside the owner’s empty purse

Are we spinning in reverse?



The snails have left their shells

Searching for a new citadel

Lugging the fading Olympic torch

Can the cauldron again light-up our front porch?




Ivor Steven (c) Sept 21020

A Ladybug Flies in From Bensalem

This week over on Weekly Prompts, the Weekend challenge is;  Oddities. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking on this link… >> >>https://weeklyprompts.com/2020/09/26/weekend-challenge-oddities/ . During the week I was live video-online chatting to my cousin from Bensalem, an outer suburb of Philadelphia, and “oddly” she was excitedly talking out her “Ladybug Farm Kit”, and how she going to be proud owner of newly born/hatched little ladybugs !!… She enthusiastically sent me photos of her new “little pets”. I’m smiling broadly to myself, and I told her “your quaint little oddity, has inspired me write an odd little poem about the ladybugs”….


A Ladybug Flies in From Bensalem

A scarlet caped ladybug

Lands on my sleeve and gently shrugs

Resting there, snug as a bug on a rug

And honouring me with love and soft hugs



Nature’s tiniest of goddesses

Who fans us with butterfly kisses

Quietly sharing good fortune and best wishes

Then silently flittering away to the next Hibiscus






Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2020

Beyond the Swallowing Quicksand

My body is beginning to tire

And I am in need of a new fire



Beyond the swallowing quicksand

Here now, I surely stand

Resurrected, upon solid ground

And what a maze destiny’s unwound


Inside my fading mind

Lays an old silver mine

Of tunnels yet to be found

Where unused treasures abound

Awaiting a silent command

From my lost soul’s dreamland




Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2020

Tree, a Haiku

‘Featured Image’ above: I’ve used this wonderful photo from Derrick Knight’s blog/website before, although here today, I’ve used a colour filter (Vanilla). Again thank you Derrick, for allowing me to use this beautiful and impressive photo, with my humble little Haiku.


Tree



“I stand in your shade

Your limbs shed leaves over me

I’m warm in your arms”





Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2020

Above The Surface


Inside my creative head

Blooms my minds flowerbed

Nurturing stories not to be misread



I see a pot of sapphire dust and water

The old wizard’s wondrous recipe

And drop by drop the magic potion

Rises beyond a soothing lotion



Above the cloudy clouds cotton wool

My empty sails are only half full

And my mystical galleon ship is drifting

Upon a pool of uncharted writings

Becalmed, I’m listening to a romantic viola

And waiting for a guiding tow from her golden gondola





Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2020.

Below the Surface

This Saturday the Weekend Challenge from ‘Weekly Prompts’ is The Face. Please go and visit their fabulous site by clicking >> https://weeklyprompts.com/2020/09/19/weekend-challenge-the-face/ .. And the below is my response to this weeks prompt.




Below the Surface

I’ve had thorns under my feet

And a rose between my teeth



I’m on a voyage to somewhere, and beyond

And the false façade goes on and on

Left follows right, one of us cannot be wrong

The Small Faces are singing the same old song

And the winter snake-skins have all gone

Lets face it, will I ever truly belong?



The mysterious journey never ends

Until that inevitable finale bend

George said it’s “A long and winding road”

And I’ll face life’s hard curves, unbowed




Above Artwork:  By Kerri Costello, Graphic Design Artist, my beautiful niece/second cousin, who lives in Philadelphia, she’s so very talented, and a very special person in my life, thank you Kerri.



Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2020.

Half Normal and Half Crazy


Earlier today I was having an on-line video chat with my niece Kerri, in Philadelphia, and during our conversation, we often mentioned, how the world was going “crazy”. So here’s my “crazy” poem, inspired by my “crazy” Philadelphia relatives, Kerri, Joanne and Ken….


Half Normal and Half Crazy

The day’s cold and breezy

Phillip the penguin is going crazy

Excitedly clapping his wings

Waiting for our luncheon fling

He’s jumping and shouting

“We are going on an outing !!”



Despite our masks and the pouring rain

Time has come to leave our quarantine

And savour a fluffy carrot cake again

Drink hot coffee and fizzy champagne

Drown these hazy days of feeling lazy

And resurrect ourselves from going completely crazy



Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2020