To Celebrate this wondrous occurrence, we shall play a Leonard Cohen song/poem (Of course). I’ve been blogging for only 10 months, and it’s all quite unbelievable for this little Plumber/Poet from Geelong. Thank you, one and all.
And as an added bonus, I’ve also achieved the grand sum of 200 posts, Oh, and how appropriate it be with a posting of a Leonard Cohen song, I’m truly humbled.
Teachers, Lyrics. By Leonard Cohen
I’ve finished self printing the third booklet in my series of my latest poems. “Tullawalla. The Waves Say Goodbye. Poems By Ivor Steven”. I’ve actually printed them off my own computer, for me to sell to family, friends and to all my plumbing clients that I happen to do a job for, haha, the booklet is part of my Client’s Account. All proceeds I directly donate to the Geelong MS Charity Shop. The previous two Booklets are, Tullawalla, and Tullawalla. A Sign Of The Times. The total amount of money I’ve raised over the years is well over $500 , and it’s a race to the magic $1000 before the end of the year !!
Ivor Steven (c) 2018
Meet Donna, the gorgeous waitress who seems to know my drinking 🍻 habits already, and she makes sure that my fluid intake is maintained for this warm weather. 
Ivor meets Diana and her friends, and more poems are recited. Below some words from Leonard Cohen’s poem “All My News” from his book “Book Of Longing” 3. “Do not decode These cries of mine They are the road and not the sign Nor deconstruct my drugless high I’m sober but I like to fly Then quickened with my open talk You need not pick the ancient lock” His words seemed wonderfully appropriate as my holiday continues to blossom. 😊
My 6.30am walk around the deck. Breathing the purity of the sea air. I’m completely in awe of mother nature’s vast blue carpet and sparkling white caps, and an endless horizon that encircles our voyage. Ivor being Ivor, I’ve met and chatted to lots of happy fellow passengers, and I’ve been reciting my poems to any willing to listen to my words. “there’s Ivor our Poet friend”.
Sunday morning 1st April
My courtyards bathed in morning sunshine.
I’m caringly watering various pot-plants.
Leisurely spraying droplets upon natures greenery.
Cacti and Succulents adorn rough timber shelves.
Previously Mum’s desert treasures.
She adored their smooth pastel hues.
Nurturing them like they were babies.
And now, I do too.
Living reflections of her love.
Reigning over us from above.
Below a sage bush, the tiny flower’s a mauve colour.
Rescued from the old homestead, Tullawalla.
Also saved were Dad’s gorgeous orchids,
And his stunning Day-lily, a vivid ruby-red.
Wind-bells chiming, I’m visualizing Dad walking by.
Wearing that Aussie Akubra shading his head.
The tomatoe Rapunzel climbs up high.
Bearing cherry-like fruit a plenty.
Entwining a Bougainvillea vine’s winding tall.
Purple flowers colourfully named Jazzi.
My favourite Geranium’s in full bloom.
The deepest dark red you’ll ever see.
Groomed from a small cutting, a glorious find.
Osteospermum, a yellow like daisy, looks divine.
Standing beside a hardy savivor, Limonium Blue.
Pots of natural herbs of onion and garlic chives.
And the strongly aromatic Lip Balm Monarda.
Overlooking the scenic array, Dad’s hanging basket.
A Drooping Violet soaking in moistening dew.
Our wedding flower, a memento of you.
Dad’s Hanging Basket Plant, a Drooping Violet, ah yes, he knew..
Ivor Steven (c) 2018
Everyone is Welcome., Join in via Danica. https://danicapiche.com/2018/03/02/welcome-to-your-song-a-community-collaboration/
For the readers that know me, they’ll be saying, “Of course Ivor will be writing about Leonard Cohen as his favourite singer/songwriter”. And that’s so true. I’ve actually never written an article about Leonard Cohen, and I’m feeling quite apprehensive about doing so. I’m thinking that what ever I try to say, will be totally inadequate to do justice to my inspiration, my saviour, my source of solace through troubled times, and my soothsayer in everything that I try to achieve in my writings. The featured photo above is of my first two Vinyl LP’s by Leonard. On the right, “Songs Of Leonard Cohen” 1967, and on the left, the famous photo of Marianne on the cover of his second Album, “Songs From A Room” 1969. Marianne died 3 months before Leonard Cohen, and here is a piece of what he wrote to her just before she passed. “our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine.” * And below the return letter, that was published on The Leonard Cohen Facebook site, after he had passed, November 7th 2019.
*Wikipedia, Leonard Cohen.
And now I’m feeling quite emotional, and all my friends on WordPress will be saying, “Ivor will be crying now”, and yes, they’re right too. Best I move on to a few of my favourite songs(all his songs are my favourites), from his first LP, “One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong”
And I think it’s appropriate that I choose a song from his last Album, which was released only a month before Leonard passed at the age of 83, “You Want It Darker”, and the stand-out track for me is, “If I Didn’t Have Your Love”, the lyrics are superbly sublime.
There’s so much more I would like to write, but I’ll leave that up to the Biographers. I shall mention a favourite poem of mine, also written by Leonard late in his life, a reasonably long poem, but well worth the read, “Happens To The Heart” . https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/happens.html . In closing below is an article, also posted on The Leonard Cohen Facebook site, by his son Adam. And a big thank you to Danica for giving me the opportunity/prompt to present a post about Leonard Cohen.
Head’s falling like an unpinned grenade.
Soon ready to explode.
Burying shrapnel pieces in corners of shade.
Scattered like broken retina globes.
Razor blades shredding memory lockets.
Slivered icicles inside blurry sockets.
Needles of pain.
Sheets of sleet before the rain.
Bloodied eyeball tracks like meteor trails.
And the pain numbing capsules do fail.
Oh please, blindly needing to set sail.
Upon swirling Oceans, like Homer’s tales.
Ivor Steven (c) 2018
Image: digitalartrocks 1.blogspot.com
Gradually the dying moonlight awakened my dawn.
And the baptizing sunrise watered my eyes.
Drowning the working hours of my shallow day.
Dampening fiery thoughts of playing in the hay.
Dusk hazily shrouds my cemetery lawn.
And the rituals of sunset beckon my daily plight.
Flailing and falling upon sleepless night.
Finally laying prone under my weighted crown.
Ivor Steven (c) 2018
Her last words were, “how can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause? Such a fine sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter, if through us thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?”
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 