When It All Began.
In September 2000, I suffered my first stroke. After a stretch of intensive rehab, I was finally allowed to return home and resume caring for my wife. I was still healing, still unsteady, and not yet permitted to drive. With the patient guidance of my wonderful speech therapist, I slowly relearned how to speak, read, and write.
During those early recovery days, music was always playing in the background — especially Leonard Cohen. Something in his haunting lyrics stirred me, nudged me, compelled me to start writing things down. That’s when I first discovered a small, surprising knack for shaping words into rhyme.
After several months, my therapist gently encouraged me to join a local writers’ group. And as the old saying goes, from little things, big things grow.
“A Few Milestones Along the Way”
Every now and then, WordPress taps me on the shoulder with a small surprise — a reminder of how long I’ve been wandering these digital paths, and how many kindred spirits I’ve met along the way. This week, a handful of “Achievements” arrived, and they made me pause, smile, and look back over the journey.
Ten years on WordPress. That one landed with a soft thud in my chest. A decade of poems, stories, late‑night edits, early‑morning inspirations, and the steady rhythm of showing up — even on the days when the words came slowly.
Views from over 150 countries. It still amazes me that something written at my desk in Geelong can find its way to readers oceans away. These badges aren’t really about numbers; they’re about connection — the quiet thread between writer and reader, stretched across continents.
A comment longer than the original post. That one made me laugh. It’s proof of what I love most about this place: the conversations, the generosity, the way a single poem can spark a whole exchange of thoughts, memories, and stories.
And the Globe Trotter badge — 50+ countries — a reminder of the early days when I first realised people were actually reading.
None of these milestones happened in isolation. They grew from the kindness of readers, the encouragement of fellow writers, and the simple joy of sharing words. I’m grateful for every visit, every comment, every quiet moment someone spent with one of my poems.
Here’s to the next stretch of the journey — wherever the words decide to wander.
Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge is the word ” expressive.” To visit their fabulous site, please click >> Here.
In the long echo of these streets, after all the turns and tremors, I’m still here, listening for the next line.
Ivor Steven © May 2026
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 