Category: Photos

Throwback Friday, Quietly I Exist

Today’s Throwback Friday Poem appears in my revised edition of “Tullawalla”, July 2022, and was originally written as a travel log piece about my overseas journey to, America, Philadelphia, in May 2019.

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Quietly I Exist

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I’m writing words from the edge of time

And pondering my life’s lack of rhyme

Thinking every moment is an ironic crime

And quietly, I exist only in mime

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Life is a mountain of ups and downs

Sharp thorns and slippery crowns

For me, every moment is a good day

Behind me, I leave yesterday

And today I’ll by-pass midday

On my way to bathing in tomorrow’s sun-rays

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We are not here to control nature

But we are responsible for her future

I don’t think humans are meant to be

Poisoning the sea with plastic and mercury

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I cannot be the king of this stagnant world

But I am free as my wings unfurled

My eyes have been opened again

To reveal the sky, sunshine and rain

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Now I see beyond every yellow door

There was once an original world

So, I’ll turn the latch to discover more

And give realities of life a whirl

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Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2025

Wainwright, Alberta Prairie, without Frankie

Featured image Above: Frankie, looking happy and relaxed back at my brother’s house in Ballarat. Victoria. Australia,

Cousin Maureen and Ivor

The sun sets over Wainwright and Maureen’s doggies. Co-co and Z-z

The Wainwright township

Wainwright

The town clock tower and my sleeping quarters at Maureen’s

Walking the doggies at sunset

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Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2025

Fallen Ancestors

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Fallen Ancestors

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Above
I saw time drift across the sky
Below
I heard a grey waterlogged tree cry
“Is this the graveyard where my
fallen ancestors have been left to die”

There
“Against the sea wall’s merciless granite crown
surrounded by cold water crashing around
Please
“Take my hand, guide me down
so I can cover them with my green nightgown

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Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2025

Royal Roads University, Hatley Park Gardens

Featured Image: Ivor in front of the iconic Hatley Castle (1908)

Cousin Penny and her husband Dave

Pea Hen and a duck on the pond

Above and below images are from the rose garden

The fernery garden

The Japanese garden and pond

Above; The Italian garden area

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Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2nd 2025

Home Away From Home

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Home Away From Home

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On an island under the northern stars
Among the giant evergreen cedars
Within my personal astrodome
Feeling at ease in my home away from home

I am on top of the world
Uncurling my ancient bones, yet unfurled
Giving my weary soul another joyful whirl

In a land covered by forests and berries
Living a dream on an island with magical fairies

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Ivor Steven (c) September 2025

Sidney and Tanner’s Books

Today, cousin Lynn and I went to the lovely seaside town, Sidney

My cousin with the ‘Statue’ outside Tanner’s Books

The Sidney waterfront

Apartments overlooking the sea and the cafe on the pier

Statues at the waterfront, and me and Mungo

My purchases at Tanner’s Books

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Ivor Steven (c) August 2025

Dusty Passport

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Today’s Throwback Friday poem is from February 2019, when I was preparing myself for a trip to America/New York/Philadelphia, to visit my Philadelphia “cousins”, and today, here I am on Vancouver Island visiting my Canadian “cousins”.


Dusty Passport (revised)

Here I was resting, home again from the hospital,
after a second stroke had laid me up.
I was rekindling thoughts of travelling to America —
an adventure I’d always promised myself.
Night is not always dark, you know.

Firstly, I had to find my passport.
Yes, I’d hidden it somewhere safe.
After turning the bedroom inside out,
then, throwing the lounge room upside down,
the lost document was on a garage shelf —
looking dusty, but still only five years old.

Jumping for joy, you’d think I’d found gold.
Hardly ever been stamped — a Chinese one, that’s all.
Many years have passed since my last call.

I clasped that passport firmly in my hand’
and I said, “It’s time”, before my clock runs out of sand.






Ivor Steven (c) August 2025