We walked through a doorway in a white painted brick wall, to discover this extraordinary Chinese garden, originally set up as a nobles city getaway garden area.
Like having a holiday and not leaving home
We’ve been so blessed with glorious weather the whole trip. 😊
Ivor Steven (c). 2018
The canals of Suzhou are steeped in ancient history, dating back to 514 BC
Slowly cruising up the canals, was like going backwards in the “Time Machine” to those olden days in Suzhou.
Ivor Steven (c). 2018
I’ve lost track of the days. 😊
ABOVE. West Lakes, Suzhou
Above, in the middle of West Lakes, with Suzhou in the background.
A special photo for Gina 😊😊
Below, a fish pond at the Silk Factory
Enjoyed the high speed bullet train experience from Beijing to Hangzhou
Hangzhou is considered the tea capital of China, and we visited the Tea House at Meijiawu Tea Village
The Tea Village was a beautiful place, set in a lush green valley
A atmosphere of peace and tranquillity within the village itself
A few photos from my trip to the Beijing Zoo to see the Panda’s 🐼
The Panda’s and me in a Panda hat, and few tour buddies
The glorious big willow trees at the zoo.
Hi Dear readers, today is my 6th day in China, and the first time I’ve had a consistent Wi-Fi connection.
Walk To The Moon
I did walk on The Great Wall
The Wall can be seen by a man on the moon
Well look at me now, Neil
Here I am on top of the World
And I saw a hole in the wall
Crouching down low, I peered
Through a bluestone window
And what did I espy
I saw another piece of the Wall
A guardian tower, standing tall
Ivor Steven (c) 2018
I’m on the flight to far away lands
Chatting to a lady beside me, Sue
She’s a fellow poet too
A member of the Canberra Writer’s
I’m a long long way from home
Travelling back in time
Already two hours behind
Jetting my way to ancient China
To visit the old Forbidden City
Palace of bygone Dynasty’s
Then I’ll walk upon The Great Wall
Feel the ghostly bones beneath my toes
Who’s to say dead fish don’t fly
I’m eating Barramundi and bamboo sauce in the sky
Watching Nick Cave performing on screen
His spectacular concert in Copenhagen
Sipping on a Wolf Blass red wine
I’m relaxing and flying high
Ivor Steven (c) 2018
Weekly Prompts: Word Prompt, This weeks word prompt: Curiosity. And there’s plenty of curiosity in these odds and ends pieces of poetry that I’ve compiled below. They are all verse comments that I’ve made to some of my readers.
Curiosity
It’s the devil in me
curiosity of a busy bee
I just had to see
your words of poetry
Pencils
I never retire without my note-pad nearby
My lead pencil, my bedtime writing scribe
Sometimes heavy, other times light
A necessary sword to fight off dark nights
Words To You
You write to me
I write to you
Your thoughts say it all
Words do fall
Out of a crack in the wall
Stand on the rubble tall
Let the dust settle
Light up the Kettle
Have a cuppa and a chat
Light flows back, through the crack
Writing is our world
Words are our pearls
Drum Beat
Writing is a conundrum
Keep beating your drum
There’s a tune in your pen, for every line
Do not worry about the time
It’s only the sound of a chime
Everlasting is your journey’s climb
Rain And Pain
I no more seek pain
I feel caressed by the rain
Soothing my daily strain
Let it rain, I’m over being a champion
Clouds
oh, to float on a cloud high
be at peace with the sky
quietly breathe in and sigh
look down and wonder why
Upside Down
hanging around upside down
gives you a top view of the ground
reverses the annoying busy sounds
lets you think of life’s endless bounds
Wet Grass
You lay there bathing in moonshine
Caressing tingles down your spine
Freshening evening dew
Letting the moist grass entwine you
Lovely
Love has all the answers
Let us all pack our travel-bags
Join the world’ dancers
Let us all wave our white flags
Power
Is the shift of power
For every-ones good
Living in their glass towers
Hearts made of plastic wood
Leaving us to bow and cower
Raped by their greedy falsehoods
I Am You
You are you
From top to toe
You are you
From arm to palm
You are you
A heart full of gold
You are you
A light for our souls
Ivor Steven (c) 2018
Weekly Prompts: Photo Challenge; This Weeks Prompt is: Work Of Art.
Last weekend I went the Boom Gallery Art Exhibition, here in Geelong, as part of a Ekphrastic poetry exercise, a link to last week’s Ekphrastic Poem is >> Here, and I was thinking of presenting all of those wonderful pictures that I saw, here in this article today. However I’ve decide to present my dear Carole’s “Works Of Art”, that I have here hanging in the Tullawalla Gallery. The featured picture above, is of three pieces of her macrame, which are also made from her own home-spun wool.
Above: More articles of Carole’s macrame
Above: Top left corner, some decorative macrame, around my Malayan Kris and sheath. The Kris has been in our family for over 110 years. And then, there are two of Carole’s long-stitch pieces craft-work. Earlier in her life, before Carole’s MS became too severe, she enjoyed painting, and below are three of her paintings.
Ivor Steven (c) 2018
Good morning dear readers, I’m not very well, a chest cough and cold, but I’ve time to recover before I fly to China on Wednesday, and today I’ve written another two Haiku for you. I’ll be fine, Cyndi’s looking after me, as soon as she finishes licking out my cereal bowl ….. I’ll rest up, listening to my music, and I sincerely recommend, you have a look at the Leonard Cohen Tribute concert, In Montreal 2017, on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSmvvUNTtTc&t=51s
Blue
Today’s deep sky blue
Warming my chest and soul too
Curing cough and flu
True, it’s a dog’s life
Who would kill a lonely cat
Peace to you and you
Ivor Steven (c) 2018
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 