December, it’s that time of the year for the release of Anthologies, and here is another annual Anthology that my poems have been published in. This is one has been produced and published by the Belmont Page Writers Group (Geelong) and superbly edited by our convener, Claudia Collins.
Two of my poems were published in this fabulously presented Anthology, and today I am presenting the first one “A Forever Coat”.
Ivor Steven (c) December 2023
I have enjoyed a fun time, yesterday, my brother’s birthday, and Christmas Day with my siblings, and doggies, Frankie, and his cousins Cookie & Whiskey
And Whiskey, Cookie and Frankie
Frankie wearing his Christmasy ears
Merry Christmas to all
Cheers from Ivor & Frankie
Ivor Steven December 25th 2023
Summer solstice shines
Under a bright twilight moon
Like a Christmas light
Enchanting my heart tonight
Cosmic blue, this is the life
Ivor Steven (c) December 2023
Last Sunday morning I attended the “The Dome Poets” Christmas Party ‘brunch’, and we were each to bring a short poem about our poetry group (Secret), which was then folded and drawn from a hat, and recited by the drawer, and then we had to guess who wrote the poem … A very enjoyable session indeed, but I didn’t guess the authors too well … Haha, I got mine right! and one other …
Featured Image Above: The Dome Poets Group, taken at our Anthology book launch in June
Stars (My Poem, for the Dome Poetry Christmas Party)
Another year has been and gone
Today our words are secretly drawn
We’ll open our eyes and hear the peaceful sounds
Of our poems being eloquently unbound
A time for the Dome’s stars to be crowned
Ivor Steven (c) December 2023
I wrote the original piece on 21st December 2017, and this revised version I wrote on the 21st December 2019.
A Christmas Diamond, a Sparkling Jewel (Revised)
I dreamt of your radiant face last night
So serene, a diamond, a dove, so pure white
Not sad, just vivid memories, oh, so bright
And I’ve plenty of tears, don’t worry, I’m all right
Visions of your bravery, courage above, and beyond
So gracious, an everlasting smile, our iconic bond
Completely in awe, amazing, a personal anthem
And I declare you were natures stellar blossom
I felt your pain, your sorrow, revealed to only a few
So uncomplaining, never a burden, never a shrew
Thinking the whole world should be like you
I wish this hungry planet could be cheerful too
Wondering why is life, sometimes ordained cruel?
But I’ll continue on, for you, my sparkling Jewel
Ivor Steven (c) December 2023
I am reposting this poem in response to Moonwashed’s Weekly Prompted; Becalmed
>> https://amanpan.blog/2023/12/19/moonwashed-weekly-prompt-becalmed/
Becalmed Without an Alibi
Time to unshackle my inflatable raft
And reignite my charred draft
I left floating down the river
When I was the disabled driver
Of my Itmims space craft
Sadly, the fuel tank is running on empty
And the secondhand battery is almost dry
I need to recharge my world beyond page twenty
And being becalmed is not an imaginative alibi
Itmims; Ivor’s Time Machine In Micro Space
Ivor Steven (c) December 2023
On Sunday I attended the “lowercase poetry” Christmas Party, and it was a wonderfully friendly gathering and a merry time was had by all. The event featured a “Bad Santa” book swap, where we all brought along a Gift Wrapped Book (secret) to place under the ‘tree’, and when your name was announced you went up and picked a gift … there were certainly many enjoyable moments as we unwrapped our “Mystery Books” … and my parcel contained two books, Terry Pratchett’s “Wyrd Sisters, & The Poems And Plays Of Oliver Goldsmith, and a lovely letter from the gift wrapper …
A Christmas Party With a “Bad Santa” Book Swap
The weekend flew by
Under a sunny Christmas sky
There was togetherness below the marquee’s shade
And much happiness openheartedly displayed
And beneath the leafy jade tree
A stack of wrapped books, I did see
For the “Bad Santa” book swap spree
Luckily, my pick was Terry Pratchett’s “Wyrd Sisters”
A humourous story about politics and witchery
Ivor Steven (c) December 2023
Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge, is the word; Single … please visit their wonderful site by clicking on >> Here …
My poem below is a “singular”(private), message of sympathy to a friend on WordPress
In Response, I Say
As my tears pass by
I caress my salty eyes
It could be the humid weather
Or the gentle touch of a quill’s feather
No matter, life, brings us together
Ivor Steven (c) December 2023
This is a metaphorical poem I wrote in December 2020, and as is my way, here I have substantially altered the wording from the original …
Chocolates After Midnight (Revised)
My stomach’s rumbling
Upset and tumbling
I’ve been swallowing
lumps of dark chocolate
And guzzling black coffee
from a bloodstained goblet
.
The heavy clouds of yesterday
Have stuck around
like entrenched clay
Has this embattled midnight
moved into stay?
Will my charcoal pencil be able
to write about peace today?
Ivor Steven (c) December 2023
Over at Weekly Prompts the Wednesday Challenge is the word; Timing. To visit their fabulous site please click on >> Here … It was bad “Timing” that Frankie and I got caught in the storm this morning …
Thor’s, Boom Crash Opera
The sky looks like a wall
of blue-stone blocks
Ominous and motionless
With flashes of lightning
Bursting out of the cloud’s
solar plexus
Emblazoned by Thor’s
Thunderous bass drums
His raucous crescendo
Echoed like an aborted,
boom crash opera
Ivor Steven (c) December 2023
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 