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Adjustable
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I have sailed far away
Higher than the calm of Corio Bay
And here I shall stay
In my welcoming chalet
Ably adjusted in every way
Come what may
Until my journey’s closing essay
Unfolds through a Canadian mandala
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Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2025
Bison on the Prairie at Wainwright
Canadian Army Base, Wainwright
Wainwright Pump Jack
The iconic “Trestle”, straddles the “Battle River”
Barbecue dinner, overlooking “Lake Clear”
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Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2025
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
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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
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Between Today’s Isobars
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Silently the bell rings
Quietly the birds sing
Secretly I hear the forest hum
Discretely I count up the sum
The number of stars
Between today’s isobars
And out beyond Mars
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Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2025
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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
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
First day was a rest and recover one and get to meet my my cousins and their doggies
Furry cousins, Archie, Mungo, and Kelly, with cousin in law, Robin and his veggie garden.
The view from the veranda deck, where I am writing this article.
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Ivor Steven (c) August 2025
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
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
Featured Image: Dawn is peeking through my window on the plane. The above 2 images are my nighttime photos from my seat.
It’s now officially 24 hours since I woke up on Wednesday at 5.10 am, to begin my journey of travelling half way around the world. Wow … and still 6 hours travel time to go before I get to my cousins place on Vancouver Island
The buttocks are starting to really ache.
But not to worry, here I am writing words on my website.
Today’s trip has steadfastly confirmed that I do not sleep well on planes
However, how things have changed since my last international flight 6 years ago. I have inflight WiFi and I think the food is betterer,or is it because this time I am flying with Air New Zealand. And damn, the guy sitting next to me has just slept 6 hours straight.
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Ivor Steven (c) August
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 