Throwback Friday, A Single Weeping Tree (a Villanelle), by Ivor Steven

Here I am presenting my 2nd ‘Villanelle’ poem for the week, but the one is from 4 years ago

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This Villanelle is from July 2018, was adapted from my 2011 poem “This Lost Shadow”, which I reposted on my site during the week >> https://ivors20.wordpress.com/2022/07/13/this-lost-shadow-a-10-year-celebration/

A Single Weeping Tree (AVillanelle)

I’m singing this song about a single weeping tree

Why am I so sleepy, am I ageing too quickly

I’m writing a book for a heart and soul gone cold

I’m so physically worn and mentally at sea

Why am I so anxious and lonely

I’m singing this song about a single weeping tree

I’m writing this song about my return to the fold

Why am I so sore, have I lost my plea

I’m writing a book for a heart and soul gone cold

I’m a furnace log, burning up with glee

I’m a sinking ship, all about to flee

I’m singing this song about a single weeping tree

I’m an overburdened camel, not to be told

I’m…

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Nature’s Theatre (a Tanka)

The Weekly Prompts, Wednesday Challenge is: OUTDOOR FUN. Please go over and visit their fabulous by clicking >> Here . and the below Tanka, is my response to their prompt ..


Nature’s Theatre (a Tanka)




The late winter sun

Peaks through a curtain of cloud

That flat silver screen

Becomes nature’s theatre

Where true rainbow films are fun






Ivor Steven (c) July 2022

This Lost Shadow, A “10” Year Celebration

Ten years ago my poem ‘This Lost Shadow‘ was accepted and published in the Literary Anthology, “Melpomene” . The poem was the first piece of mine to appear in a Published Book, and I was exceptionally proud to have my name in the authors list, along side the famous poets, Charles Baudelaire, Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickinson, William Blake, and Paul Verlaine … Below, I have scanned my poem ‘This Lost Shadow’ directly from my copy of the book.

Featured Photo Above: Taken by Derrick Knight > derrickjknight – Ramblings

Melpomene

Gwendolyn Taunton (Editor)

Melpomene is a collection of poetry, prose and short fiction named after the Greek Muse of Tragedy. The central theme of the anthology is the beauty found in sorrow and the darker sides of human nature, drawing on literary traditions such as the ‘Damned Poets’, the Decadent Movement, Symbolism/Surrealism and the Fin de si cle. Melpomene is broken into four sections: Liber Veneficium (Book of Magic), Liber Maeroris (Book of Sorrow), Liber Fatum (Book of Fate), and Liber Mortuorum (Book of Death). Each section contains both new and classic literature dealing with these themes. Authors in this volume include Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine, William Blake, Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickinson, Gwendolyn Taunton, Azsacra Zarathustra, Math Jones, Bernardo Sena, J. Karl Bogartte, C. B. Liddell, James WF Roberts, Christopher Pankhurst, H. A. Cledones, Tamas Nagyatadi Horvath, L. Alexander Carle, Bill Noble, Marg Howlet, Ivor Steven and Gene Banyard. Containing works both old and new, Melpomene offers a prime selection of works on the melancholic side of existence, the transformational beauty of the esoteric, occult secrets hidden in verse, sorrow, doom and the inevitable grasp of death. Melpomene will haunt the reader with a dark and unearthly beauty that is both forbidden and forlorn…







Ivor Steven (c) July 2022

Today, Beside the Sea. is up at Coffee House Writers magazine.

Hello dear readers and followers, I now write for “Coffee House Writers” magazine on a fortnightly basis, and my poem“Today, Beside the Sea”, is in this weeks edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. … please click on the link below to read my poem, at Coffee House Writers >> 
https://coffeehousewriters.com/today-beside-the-sea/







Ivor Steven (c) July 2022

Her Everlasting Smile (a Villanelle)

Next Sunday at my monthly “Poetry Dome” meeting we are required to write a ‘Villanelle’ , and below is my attempt at the ‘Format’ … which I have adapted from an old favourite poem of mine, “Everlasting Smile”, you’ll find my original poem attached below the Villanelle …


Her Everlasting Smile (a Villanelle)




I wonder, was it all worthwhile

My chest, heavy as never before

Remembering, her everlasting smile


I look back, on her unfortunate life-style

Being unable to walk and talk anymore

I wonder, was it all worthwhile


I relive, her personal exile

My throat, swollen and sore

Remembering, her everlasting smile


I hesitate, retracing every mile

My tears, splash on the floor

I wonder, was it all worthwhile


I cringe, behind my happy profile

My heart, has forgotten how to roar

Remembering, her everlasting smile


I sleep alone, awaiting the next trial

My tongue, tired, needs to say more

I wonder, was it all worthwhile

Remembering, her everlasting smile




______________________________________
______________________________________

Everlasting Smile


My eyes, narrowly cracked.
My cheeks, slightly etched.
I rest here, retracing every mile.
Remembering, your everlasting smile.

My lips, already dry.
My tongue, trying to say goodbye.
I wonder, was it all worthwhile.
Remembering, your loneliest smile.

My throat, lumpy and sore.
My chest, heavy as never before.
I look back, recalling your life-style.
Remembering, your younger smile.

My lungs, empty and tight.
My legs, weak and light.
I relive, your personal exile.
Remembering, your generous smile.

My head, spinning from fright.
My heart, deep and out of sight.
I sleep alone, crying like a child.
Remembering, your everlasting smile.






Ivor Steven (c) July 2022

Promote Yourself Monday: July 11, 2022

Dear readers and followers, here’s a great opportunity for your writings to be read by other writers, and also to find and meet other writers. You are very welcome to participate, come along and visit our writer friendly site…..by clicking on the link at the bottom of this article >>
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Welcome toPromote Yourself Monday. All Go Dog Go Cafe community members are invited to postonelink to one specific piece of their writing (600 words or less please!) they have published on their blog, Facebook page, or Instagram feed into the comments section below.

If you post a link, be sure to read some of the other great writing people have linked to.

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Fiery Pearls and an Ambient Eye

This weekend, at Weekly Prompts the challenge word is: Focus. Please go and visit their fabulous site by clicking on >> Here … and below is my response to their prompt; Focus …



Fiery Pearls and an Ambient Eye



“Since I don’t believe in anything 

I can pretend about everything” … (anonymous)


The stars are the universe’s fiery pearls

And when smoke falls into my eyes 

Her fading ashes singe my heart




The silver moon is my world’s ambient eye

And when my mind falls out of focus

His silvery beams enlighten my soul






Ivor Steven (c) July 2022

Throwback Friday, A Voice in the Mist, by Ivor Steven

I found this old poem in a dusty foolscap folder under a pile of “stuff” I was tidying up … maybe from 15 years …

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Today’s poem is one that I have not published on my web/blog site, and I am not sure when I first wrote the original words. Up until now, this a piece that has been filed away in a foolscap folder.

A Voice in the Mist

The moon’s my patriarch

My dream, glowing in the dark

She’s a vision, no feel, no mound

Only a voice, without sound

A distant shining, so forlorn

My heartache until dawn

She’s a pillow, no caress, no kiss

Only a voice, from beyond the mist

Ivor Steven (c) July 2022

G’day, and welcome to my blog site. My name is Ivor Steven, I live in Geelong, Australia. I’m an ex-industrial chemist, and a retired plumber, and a former Carer of my wife(Carole), for 30 years, who suffered from severe MS. I Write poetry about those personal thoughts, throughout and beyond my life as a Carer…

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Jack’s Back

Over at Weekly Prompts, the Wednesday Challenge is: GARDEN ART. You may visit their fabulous site by clicking on the Link >> Here .. and the poem below is my response to their Prompt

Jack’s Back 

 

I woke at dawn 

And there was Jack  

Laying on my lawn 

 

Good morning, Mr. Frost 

I am at a loss 

With the ground so white 

And the air’s bitter bite 

Why are called Jack? 

The Jack’s I know from the outback 

Are all warmhearted folks  

And happy-go-lucky blokes 

Not cold-blooded guys 

Baptized by frozen skies 

 

Are you a naughty and chilly skite? 

Or a noble defender of the night 

Jack! Today at first light 

You gave my warm toes an icy fright 






Ivor Steven (c) July 2022