“Frankie the Salesman, master of the lucky-dip and poetry protocol. Cavalier by nature, befriending by heart.”
Frankie the Salesman
Here we are, under the glass-roofed part
Of the covered Centrepoint Arcade.
The spring sun is decorating our book stall,
And my salesman is in charge of poetry protocol.
The ‘Take a Poem Home Lucky-dip’ is again very popular
My furry assistant has been willingly jocular,
And appropriately, befriendingly cavalier.
Ivor Steven (c) November 2025
Featured Image Above: Yesterday’s café visit lingered in my thoughts… and became this poem. A world briefly unbroken.
The first 8 images are from my walking track this morning, and the last 3 images are from my sister’s walking track in Smythsdale.
A World Briefly Unbroken
Through the gate we go,
To find today’s silhouettes and shadows,
And to replay nature’s unspoiled show.
Spring has finally awoken;
Blue sky has ceased being a hidden token,
And this mad world of poisonous potions
Briefly hovers before our eyes, unbroken
Ivor Steven (c) November 2025
Today’s Throwback Friday poem is drawn from my upcoming book, Time Hears No Sound. It opens Chapter 3, Time: Hears No Commands—a section that explores the quiet rebellion of nature and spirit against the ticking of the clock.
Flying Through Time
Flying below the clouds
or
Zooming above the bay
or
Swooping across the paddocks
My wings
are oblivious
to the climb
And do not hear
the sound of time
.
Until Eyes Hear Sound
Lulu Books >> Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)
Perceptions:
Amazon >> Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >> Perceptions (lulu.com)
Tullawalla:
Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books
OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com
Ivor Steven (c) January 2025
It’s Market Day this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
* Our popular monthly markets are all undercover at Centrepoint Arcade on the third Saturday of every month.
* They feature art, unique goods from local makers, second-hand goods, plants, books, and more.
* There are also open art studios, Yesterday Vintage, Untether Gallery, HBT Collectables, and the May’d Shop.
All at, Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
From 11 am to 3 pm
And I’ll be there with ‘Frankie’ and my “New Bookstall Set-up”
Ivor Steven (c) November 2025
Ye’ old ‘Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat
.
My sister and I were up in front of the stage just before the show began
The Animals – Final Curtain Tour at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat
Last night, my sister and I had the pleasure of attending The Animals at the grand old Her Majesty’s Theatre in Ballarat. First opened in 1875, Her Majesty’s remains Australia’s best-preserved theatre building — a living monument to Ballarat’s rich cultural heritage. It has served as the city’s home of live performance for nearly 150 years, and its ornate charm made the perfect setting for a night of rock nostalgia.
The Animals have thrilled audiences across generations, and we couldn’t miss their Final Curtain Tour. The current lineup features original member John Steel — now 84 and still commanding the stage — alongside Danny Handley, Bobby Ruiz, and Barney “Boogie” Williams. Together, they delivered a powerhouse performance that had the crowd on their feet, singing along and soaking in every note.
From gritty blues to timeless rock anthems, the band’s energy was infectious. It was more than a concert — it felt like a farewell embrace from legends who’ve shaped the soundtrack of so many lives.
.
Their finale song …
Ivor Steven (c) November 2025
.
A Hardy Magpie (a Tanka)
There’s no birds today
The cold has kept them away
But I don’t despair
Sheltering in the gum tree
I see a hardy magpie
Ivor Steven (c) November 2025
My Legislator
Sun shines through the pines.
Wattlebirds in the wattletrees.
More crows than magpies.
Butterflies and dragonflies.
Rabbits digging for carrots.
Manuscripts under the eucalypts,
Writers lighting campfires.
Poetry — no need for a legislator.
Nature is my translator.
Ivor Steven (c) November 2025
“They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.” ~ Laurence Binyon
Let We Forget
Ivor Steven (c) 11th November 2025
Who was In My Bed?
I always make my bed in the morning
As soon as I get up.
Surprise, surprise!
When I arrived home from outing
To the Geelong Short Play Festival show
There: my bed covers, we’re all ruffled up!
“Who had been sleeping in my bed?”
When I left my house
There was only one guy inside
To look after the place
While I was out having a good time
Yep! … you guessed it
That, guilty-looking, “Frankie”
Ivor Steven (c) November 2025
“Surfacing from the sea of edits — Frankie keeps watch while I wrestle the waves of words.”
Drowning in Words
Emerging from a sea of black and white,
Normal fonts floating to the right,
Italic letters cascading to the left —
Manuscript time has been my head chef.
The last race on the card is over.
Proofreading is suffering from overexposure.
My foggy mind is resting under the cloud cover,
And I’m recuperating on a bed of clover.
“Proofreading fatigue meets sonic flood — Amanda Palmer’s ‘Drowning in the Sound’ echoes the emotional undertow of my own ‘Drowning in Words.’”
Ivor Steven © November 2025
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 