Weekly Prompts – Page 9 – Ivor.Plumber/Poet

An Old Book Shuts, a New Door Opens

This weekend the challenge from “Weekly Prompts” is: Up and Down. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking >>Here . My response below is a poem about, the ‘downs and ups’ of our worlds situation at the moment….

An Old Book Shuts, a New Door Opens

Today I question myself

What do I see?

Upon my worlds’ lower shelf

There! An open wider drawer

Containing a treasure chest

A vast crater of potential

An orb with a mystical two piece door

The doors’ bottom half’s pale blue

Like yesterday’s fading blue moon

A book of old testaments

The doors’ top half’s bright yellow

A gateway of gilded gold

The book of tomorrow’s future

The new prophecy of days under the sun

Ivor Steven (c)

Sage Bush At Guard Tower Twelve(Revised)

This week’s Wednesday Challenge on the “Weekly Prompts” site is the word BOUNDARIES. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking >>HERE . Below is my poem about the biggest social boundary every put in place on this planet !!

Sage Bush At Guard Tower Twelve

I’ve been on the run for weeks

Heading towards the Great Wall

From atop this steep hill

My nose tells me, I’m close

And I smell that distinctive sage aroma

Knowing, the sage bush is nearby

Below the gateway to guard tower twelve

My old bones shake and shiver

The Mongolians are closing quickly

Spears and arrows aquiver

Fear grips me, and I crawl low

Fingers grasping this granite boundary

Block after block, of the giant blockade

Frightened, I’m too scared to fall

Onto those deadly steel blades

And cold rugged rocks below

I clamber higher, step after step

Finally there above, I see my wish

The flowering sage bush

Mauve blooms bowing in the breeze

My chest sighs and heaves

I clear my lungs, and scream

Soon I’ll be free, as I see

Near the sage bush at guard tower twelve

The Emperor’s warriors, my reprieve

Saved, I fill the Royal message bag with sage leaves

Ivor Steven (c) April 2020.

What? Escalation Again

This weekend “The Weekly Prompt” challenge is slightly different from the norm; They have chosen a question, and the question is ‘What is it?‘ Please go and check out their fabulous site by clicking >>HERE…. Above, in the Feature Image, is my photo of “What is it?” , and below is my poem about the object in the photo ??

What? Escalation Again

Is this the germ?

That mysterious virus

Or maybe the cure

Our miracle antibiotic

Why profoundly round?

A slippery pill of renown

Why be so colourful?

The answers a rainbow, upside down

Red’s for blood

Yellow’s our solar sun

Blue for the ocean that surrounds

What about the black crosses?

Sorry, the gravestones

Representing the losses

An insightful imagination

Of a sixteen year-old

During the cold-war escalation

His world then, was young and bold

Ivor Steven (c) March 2020

The Communities Leap Of Faith. “Pako Festa”, Geelong

Over on Weekly Prompts, this weekend’s challenge is: Leap. Please go and visit their fabulous site by clicking >>HERE

Yesterday (Saturday), I went to Geelong’s annual Pako Festa event, a gathering, celebrating the colourful multicultural societies that live in harmony within Geelong’s community. These people who have come from all around the world, have taken a giant leap of faith to resettle their lives here in Geelong. There were over 25 different nationalities represent in the glorious parade, and I’ll let my photos below do all the talking today….. I hope there’s not too many photos, but as you can imagine the parade took well over an hour to go pass me !!

Ivor Steven (c) March 2020

Not So Wise, But My Size

The midweek challenge on Weekly Prompts is T-Shirt Wisdom. An interesting subject/prompt for me, as I am a bit of a T-shirt buyer when I’m on my trips away, and the below photos are from my collection of T-shirts……. And please go and visit the fabulous “Weekly Prompts” site by clicking >>HERE

Below: My China trip T-Shirts…

Below: My cruise to the New Caledonia Islands

Below: My cruise to New Zealand

Below: The trip to New York and Philadelphia, “Dreams of the Heart”

Below: Gifts from my sister-in-law when visiting Thailand

Below: My ‘Doctor Who’ T-Shirt…. & a gift from my Canadian uncle

Below: Leonard Cohen T-Shirts (Of course)

Below: “Hanne Kah”, from Germany, who I meet at a music venue in Geelong…. A Geelong Music Festival T-Shirt, from 5 years ago, and the T-Shirt my sister bought for me, when I got home hospital, in time for Christmas 2018….

Ivor Steven (c) Feb 2020

A Book Fair

This weekend over on Weekly Prompts, the weekend challenge is; Surface. Please go and visit the Weekly Prompts fabulous site by clicking >> HERE Below is my take on the prompt, Surface, with photos and my poem ‘A Book Fair’….

A Book Fair

trestle table after table

there’s rows and rows

of second-hand books

on the surface

the books appear worn

but inside their dusty covers

that untold story awaits

a magical gem for eager eyes

youngsters hungry for a fantasy tale

adults search for a mystery unseen

and hidden underneath their old surfaces

the printed word still astounds

there on display in the town’s historical hall

treasures yet to be discovered still abound

Ivor Steven (c) Feb 2020

Melody & Poetry

Here’s a poem I’ve written for ‘Go Dog Go Cafe’s’, Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge. Today’s prompt: Write a story or poem that ends with the phrase “he shredded her dreams in dignified air of victory”

Friday evening I attended my first ever Melody and Poetry event at the Analogue Academy & Gallery. The new and interesting night developed into thoroughly enjoyable show, for both the musicians and poets. The poem I recited was “Lost On The River” , here’s the link >> https://ivors20.wordpress.com/2019/06/30/lost-on-the-river/

Melody and Poetry

The Gallery’s been darkened

And the room’s illuminated by faerie lights

The Melody and Poetry event begins

On stage, there’s a piano player and guitarist

Improvising their music, to each poet’s readings

And the enthusiastic crowd sings along

To the sheets of printed words

And the poet’s recital is resonating vividly

As he shredded her dreams

In a dignified air of victory

Ivor Steven (c) Feb 2020

My Bird Feeder

This week’s midweek challenge on ‘Weekly Prompts’ is: BIRD FEEDERS. Please go and visit the fabulous “Weekly Prompts” site by clicking >> Here

I don’t own a bird feeder as such, but I suppose my verandah roof acts as my permanent bird feeder. Seeds from my neighbours trees seem to naturally end up landing on my verandah roof. The birds can be quite noisy feathered friends, as they clatter around on my verandah. … but while they are busily chomping seeds on my roof, the birds are forgetting to feast on my ripe ‘Rapunzel Cherry Tomatoe’ bush, and some of my readers, might remember what happens to those who steal from ‘Tomatoe Bush’, for a reminder, you can peruse at this link to that post >> https://ivors20.wordpress.com/2018/03/27/how-many-books-do-i-take-on-the-cruise/ …….”BEWARE”…….

Featured Image Above: My verandah roofer, the birds feeding area…!!

Below: My 9ft tall Rapunzel Cherry Tomatoe Bush, higher than the guttering.

Below Left: The cherry tomatoe crop Right: Tomatoes in my Asian salad

Ivor Steven (c) Feb 2020

Five Shades of Grey (Revised)

This weekend the Word/Photo Challenge for the monthly Colour Challenge, and for February the colour is Grey! (gray)… If you wish to join in the fun, go over and visit the Weekly Prompt’s site, by clicking >> Here

Today, I’ve attached two photos of our friendly grey marsupials, the Kangaroo’s and Koala’s. I’m afraid most of our marsupials have suffered massive losses during the horrendous bushfires this summer…..but I’m happy to report that most of the fire affected areas, have received significant amounts of rain today……and so my revised poem “Five Shades of Grey” is suitably appropriate for today’s welcome weather conditions…..

Five Shades of Grey

Daylight turns into night

Ravens scatter in mid-flight

Dark clouds overlay

Into five shades of grey

Thor’s hammer roars

His spark of fire, soars

Fiercely a flaming bolt strike’s

Piercing frightened psyches

Ivor Steven (c) Jan 2020

What Is Your Name

The midweek Word/Photo Challenge is on the concept of HOME CRAFTS. Please go over and visit their fabulous site, “Weekly Prompts”, by clicking >> HERE

Today I have chosen my recent home hobby, of growing succulents in pots, and below is my interesting abstract poem, “What Is Your Name”…. Here-in lies my problem, I do not know any of their names… So below, I have number the plants 1. to 10. , and if there is any keen gardeners out there, that know their succulents, I would really appreciate your feedback…..starting with the plant in the featured image above….