Category: Poems

They Were Singing My Song

Weekly Prompt: This weeks Word Prompt; Germs

 

There’s festering germs in my brain

The hallucination seems real

Last night I went to a funeral

The funeral was mine

 

Attending the wake

In the forest beside the lake

I was a mental mess

Walking around, dressed in my finest

A plastic name-tag tied to my thong

They were singing my song

 

Alone, I trekked through botanical gardens

Heading towards the big game

Couldn’t remember who was playing

Does it even matter

I was too busy dictating

My last will and testament

To any-one who would listen

Telling the young ones, not to worry

“Uncle Ivor will look after you, we all belong”

They were singing my song

 

There wasn’t a church

More like the Football Club hall

Big enough to hold them all

Ample food and gallons to drink

Leonard was there all along

He was singing my song

 

There was no Hallelujah

Making it write, knew the words

A Tennessee man played the drums

Every foot was tapping to the beat

The beat goes on, and on

They were singing my song

 

The music resonated into my art gallery

Organised to humour the goddess

The local switchboard was frantic, like a chatter blog

Announcing a wake, under the stars

Celestial, stellar, and beyond

They were singing my song

 

Lemons adorned the tables

Soul gifts, smelling fresh as hell

Too fiery there, I wasn’t allowed to dwell

The crowd was giving me the cold shoulder

I was talking to myself in Antarctica

Overhearing the laughter, rejoicing in my coldness

They were singing my song

One of us cannot be wrong

 

I’d like to thank the following, fellow friends/bloggers, for attending my dream-time wake, as per my dream, in order of  appearance.

1. Mental Mess

2. DoesItEvenMatter

3. Making It Write

4. The Tennessee Poet

5. Humouring The Goddess

6. Chatter Blog

7. Stella

8. Lemon

9. Soul Gifts

10. Fresh Hell

11. Fiery

12. Talking To Myself

And of course, Leonard Cohen, for his glorious music and Lyrics.

 

And here is my poem, “It’s Just A Little Dream”

https://ivors20.wordpress.com/2017/12/18/its-just-a-little-dream-2/

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

 

Purple Tomatoe Ferns

I’ve visions of Vikings sailing in the cold

Plundering distant hearts and pilfering gold

 

I’m dreaming of the old farmer’s wife

Milking cows, cleaning and baking for life

 

I’ve feelings for the king, in his isolated castle

Looking forlornly upon his drawbridge, a foodless trestle

 

I’m wandering through an empty paddock

Kicking dew off the grass, searching for a lovers locket

 

I’ve plans for the planets desolate future

Growing purple tomatoe ferns until they’re mature

 

I’m following her brave journey’s every mile

Climbing over dying garden beds and rotting fence stiles

 

I’ve finished falling under broken skies

Claiming peace amongst tomorrows butterflies

 

Haiku. Leaf

Vita Brevis is hosting another four-day haiku competition–taking place entirely in the comment section of this post!

How to Submit:

1. Submit one 5-7-5 haiku as a comment on this post — all topics welcome

2. Reblog this post on your blog or write a post announcing that you’ve entered the competition, linking back here

3. Give good feedback on other commenters’ work! [This is what it’s really about–you’ll be receiving good feedback, so try to give it to others as well]

 

Here’s my Haiku, It’s only the second one I’ve every done, I hope I’ve structured the format right, please if advise if I need to correct…..

Leaf

Spring’s about to start

Your winter withered my heart

Birds sing until dark

Tullawalla: Booklet #5

Hello dear readers, friends, family and followers. Sorry I’ve not been around to all my fellow bloggers on WP, with my usual diligence and zest. I’ve been very busy preparing my new booklet of poems. And in honour of my dear Carole, on this our Anniversary Day (42nd), I’ve just finished the manuscript (Phew and yeah !!), and this one is called, “Tullawalla: “Home Is The Air I Breathe”, and of course along with the other 4 booklets, all money’s that I make from the sale of these booklets goes to the Geelong MS Charity Shop. The list of my 5 booklets is below. These booklets are all printed here in my little writing studio/haven, put together by hand, and they’re a foolscap size folder of 21 pages and 40 poems in each booklet

Tullawalla, Poems, By Ivor Steven                                                                                   Tullawalla, A Sign Of The Times                                                                                               Tullawalla, The Waves Say Goodbye                                                                                     Tullawalla, Who’s Left To Row The Boat

And, Tullawalla, Home Is The Air I Breathe

And I’m happy to say that I’ve now learnt how to print on both sides of the pages, thus halving my mailing costs for anyone interested in purchasing, for the price of postage and plus a donation for the MS shop. I have a PayPal account, to make payments easier.

wordswag_1536566735800Contents #5

Cheers

From Ivor xx

 

Some Time Now

Anniversaries, they come and they go.

Some time now, since that final May snow.

Anniversaries, they have floated past,

Some time now, I reminisce the last.

 

Anniversaries, none ever forgotten.

Some time now, since your everlasting smile was taken,

Anniversaries, from coral, to every hue.

Some time now, since our tidal-wave passed through.

 

Anniversaries, when love grew stronger,

Some time now, since the years became longer,

Anniversaries, a journey of love, suffering and pain.

Some time now, since our river filled with rain.

Your troubles fell with an Autumn leaf.

Forever enshrined within your gracious belief.

 

Ivor Steven. (c)  2018

Dumped

Weekly Prompt: Word Prompt, This weeks word is, Nuisance

 

I didn’t think I was a nuisance

Strolling around, minding my own business

Waiting, like the rest of my crowd

A sturdy warhorse, tall and proud

Delivering parcels to and fro

Rain, hail or snow

I do the best that I can

I keep myself gleamy and clean

Always courteous and patient

Give me a push and I’ll respond

I was controlled and strong

And I didn’t mind the little-ones

I’d happily lug them around

Screaming and kicking me

I’d stand there quietly smirking

Taking all their constant abuse

From both young and old

 

Why did I end up here

Dumped like an alley cat

Caged like a mongrel dog

Behind this fence of cold iron

On top of the towns highest hill

Under a dripping cypress tree

How did they drag me

Up the rocky track’s steepest incline

I’m scared, abandoned and alone

My old frame is turning grey and rusty

Am I finally at the end of the line

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

 

Hills And Hollows

Good morning dear readers, today’s poem is one I wrote on my phone while I was lying in bed early this morning, half asleep or half awake, answering a few of my readers comments. I would like to sincerely thank Kate of Calmkate – aroused,  for inspiring me to write this piece, despite me being in a state of dreamy slumber.

Hills And Hollows

 

I’m a sprightly sparrow

I don’t like to wallow

Come fly with me tomorrow

Above the hills and hollows

 

I’ll swim the river of sorrow

Walk through fields of green and yellow

Pushing my old empty barrow

Full of my memories to follow

Looking for her golden halo

Somewhere over the rainbow

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

A Million Times Again

My old emotions are flowing

Soaked tissues scatter my room

I feel my wings are regrowing

You’ll see me flying soon

 

I’m recalling our first date

We’re holding hands like old mates

In my dreams

I’m holding you, a million times again

 

I’m rejoicing about when we proposed to each other

We’re kissing and cuddling like true lovers

In my dreams

I’m proposing to you, a million times again

 

I’m remembering our wedding day

We’re both closely whispering, forever and a day

In my dreams

I’m marrying you, a million times again

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

A Festival

Weekly Prompts. Photo Prompt: Festival

During the last six years, I’ve attended numerous music festivals within the Geelong area and I was fortunate enough to also go to the world famous Port Fairy Folk Music Festival, in 2013, featuring, David Francey(with his band, Go Jane Go), Xavier Rudd, and Geoffrey Gurrumul, a music vidoe of his glorious singing below, you won’t believe how beautiful his voice is !! The featured image above is from the Geelong Jazz Festival on streets in the CBD.

 

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Above, From The Top, David Francey,(left side of stage) at Port Fairy Folk Music Festival 2013.  Next: Enjoying the festival, Ivor with Lyn, one of those dear friends of Carole, who were there with us throughout the whole journey. (we swapped hats for this pic)

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Above are pictures from the Geelong Motor City Music Festival, 2014 and 2015. From the Top,  Lloyd Spiegel, Claude Hay, my friends enjoying the show, Martin, Terry and Jacqui, and The Chris Wilson Blues Band .

Above two pictures are from our local Pako Festa, a multi-cultural festival held annually here in Geelong, a street parade, street stalls and displays and outdoor concerts. Left, pic Ivor with Niamh, My Irish friend’s Martin and Jacqui, daughter, 2013, she’s 18 months old, and the same little Niamh in 2016, yep she’s Ivor’s special little girl.

Here below a poem I wrote about my time at the Port Fairy Folk Music Festival, in March 2013, and the four day Festival was an event I shall always remember.

A Festival

 

A Festival, beside the sea

Musicians playing in the breeze

Song-catchers of sadness and glee

Open for everyone to see

 

A Festival, of warmth and love

Bound together within a community glove

Endless tunes, over and above

Gliding around like peaceful doves

 

A Festival, with friends in a cottage

Laughter, travelling through the village

Riding on a horse-drawn carriage

Singing out of tune, a broken homage

 

A Festival, rejoicing day and night

Eating and drinking on-site

The multitude happy and bright

Hovering under the stage lights

 

A Festival, a joyful blast

Memories always to last

The fun time went so fast

Holding hands on the grass

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018