Ivor.Plumber/Poet

The Sandbox Writing Challenge 2018 — Exercise 5
What it is about you that you feel makes you
different from everybody else? From Calensariel, Impromptu Promptlings

 

I am not so different.

I am not an animal.

Crying in a cage.

I live in a bubble of air.

Like everyone else.

I breathe the same.

Stand alone during the game.

I limp and shuffle.

At this age, we’re all lame.

The brain is forgetful.

But the memory bank is full.

I tire more quickly.

And plug-in early.

Beauty sleep and a recharge.

Dream of a pretty face.

Tomorrow she’s a new showcase.

Life is no longer a race.

Hiking at her comfortable pace.

I am not so different.

I am not unlike you.

Like everyone else.

I seek love and grace.

 

Ivor Steven. (c)  Feb 13th 2018.

This is another poem from way before I started blogging. I wrote the words seven years ago. Sincere thanks to Jane of, Janebasilblog, who’s wonderful poem, “Like A Sister” prompted me to post my poem out of my old Archives.

One Day

Not asking you to marry me, or to be my lover.
Nor am I expecting you to be like a kind mother.
You know in your heart, there are no others.
I’m alone during my nights, under the covers.
All I want from you, is to look for no other.
All I need from you, love me like a sister and brother.

She’s fading away, not complaining and no bother.
Her dying life, has given me no time to hover.
One day not so far away, her eyes beneath the clover.
She’ll rest peacefully, and I’ll be crying over and over.
All I want from you, is to hold me while I recover.
All I need from you, love me like a sister and brother.

 

Ivor Steven (c)   2018

Dreams

Wishing them to come true

Realising our visions

And watching them perish too

I’ve been told, “Life is a Process”

Like in a fruit juice processor

Dreams

Peeled, sliced and diced

Thrown into the mixer

Puree

Filling a Tupperware container

Tagged and dated

Placed neatly into the freezer

Dreams

Like in a blue Tardis fridge

Duly forgotten, frozen in time

Until

The freezer suddenly dies

A clean-out is required

Puree dreams gone rotten

Thrown-out into the garbage bin

Afterwards trucked to the rubbish tip.

Dreams

Dead and buried

Covered in yesterdays mildew mud

A slushy natural fertiliser

Hereafter regenerating our muses

Sprouting like magic mushrooms

Feeding the new brides and grooms

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

 

 

 

The sand’s not really gold.

More like warm silk.

And the water’s not that cold.

Mild like cool Milk.

Pieces of seaweed, ankle-deep.

Smooth wet sand underneath.

Caressing my saltsea feet.

The Oceans clear bluey-green waves.

Carry surfers to shore.

Then paddling out for more.

 

So many happy souls.

Every face a smile.

Mums, dads and their young ones.

Old grandparents too.

And blokes like me.

All enjoying the sea.

Sand-castles built with glee.

Hungry seagulls.

Drifting on the sea-breeze.

Prancing for a feed.

 

The commune beach.

A lesson to teach.

No matter who you are.

Even here from afar.

Pale white or sunburnt skin.

Could be cream or tanned.

Bodies short and tall.

Rotund and thin.

All frolicking as one.

Under our southern solar Sun.

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

Featured Image:  Bancoora Beach, near Breamlea, Victoria, Australia.

This Week, Calen again invites us to revisit her sandbox. She asks:

“You find yourself in a quiet room looking at your reflection in this beautiful old mirror. What do you see? Is there anything in particular you like about yourself? Is there anything you don’t like? Tell us about it.”

I see an oldish bloke, who likes to write poetry

Attention seeking, or even some notoriety

Why don’t I try to write a bigger story

Flash fiction, and there’s enough for a book

Am I too afraid to really look

All my poems are quite shortish

Like last years birthday cake wish

Maybe I’ll say, “I’m far too lazy”

I can’t tell them, I’m a bit crazy !!

Nor that I’m a cute Lord of wizardry

 

I better start on another view

They want to know about me and you

I see a bald headed man, like my dad

And that’s not at all bad

I always said, if I grew up

To be half as good as my dad

I’d be very happy and proud

And well ahead of the crowd

He was a kind and thoughtful man

I suppose I’m honest and lend a hand

I see I’m now showing my age

My journey has torn many a page

And it’s not that I’m overly sad

It’s my veneer that show’s everyone I’m glad

I’ve lived my promise, for better and for worse

I did my job, a carer during her curse

 

Ivor Steven (c)

The day is one of rain.

Washing streets of thoughts down the drain.

Cleansing the stains.

Flooding the silence again.

 

The day is dismal and grey.

Drowning the sun, it begun in May.

Many years full of dismay.

Pouring rains, here to stay.

 

Ivor Steven (c)

Thank you to Gina of, Singledust, and Linda of, Urban Poetry, for both suggesting that I write words about the rain here in Geelong today. Hope the poem meets your approval Ladies.

I received this interesting post from Janebasilblog today. Starting this week, Calen, at Impromptu Promptlings, invites us to revisit the Sandbox Challenge. She begins with a loosening up exercise, asking us four questions about ourselves. Here are the questions and my answers:

If you were asked to choose seven words to describe yourself, what would they be?

* Happy

* Empathetic

* Trusting

* Loyal

* Romantic

* Determined

* Emotional
`
If you were asked to choose seven objects that have meaning for you, what objects would you choose?

* My photo albums and picture gallery

* My Music collection

* Dad’s orchids that I care for

* Carole’s memorabilia

* A poetry book Melpomene, in which a poem of mine, was my first published works

* The bookcase my grandpop made for me

* Mum’s round brass antique coffee table.
`
If you were asked to choose seven colors that have meaning for you, what colors would you choose ?

* White – like a dove, the sign of peace

* Red – the colour of Carole’s hair

* Blue – like the sky above

* Ocean Blue – the origin of life

* Green – the colour of Mother Nature

* Orange – my colour of happiness

* Neutral Gray – wouldn’t it be nice for the whole world to be neutral
~
If you were asked to choose seven places that have meaning for you, what places would you choose?

* “Tullawalla” our old family home in Ocean Grove

* Port Fairy, south west coast of Victoria, “Our” favourite camping holiday destination, special glorious times, and the friends we camped with are still my besties

* My home, probably my final abode, now proudly called “Tullawalla”

* The Ocean Grove surf beach, the sands of time here, soothes my soul.

* My sporting/football Club “Bell Park”, my lifelong community involvement group, and where “our” wedding reception was held 42 years ago, and where I still socialize.

* 27 Logan St, North Geelong, the family home for the first 20 years of my life, my childhood was blissful and it’s where all my dreams were born and fostered.

* The gorgeous site where Carole’s ashes lay…… It’s the old Geelong West Cemetery, for me the most beautiful place in the universe.

 

For Jane, Thank You for the inspiration to write this article…..

Featured Image:  Ivor and Carole on the beach at Port Fairy, 1978.

 

Ivor Steven (c)

Whistling palms

Visions of calm

Looking up and over

My verandah roof

Above, neighbouring wind-break trellis

Through the whisperings

A drooping willow tree

Sheltered aside

By darkened-green cypress pines

Beyond their leaf’s silhouette

The sky’s a clear

Morning blue

No gathering clouds in sight

My future arises bright

 

Ivor Steven (c)

Featured Image:  Bing search, Red White And Blue: signalbrands.com — 818designco.com

 

I’m leaving the party

My friends have all gone

Standing alone

Holding an empty wine

Maybe it was red

I’m thinking a white

Stains on my shirt

A lipstick collar too

Cannot remember who

Blurry visions of

Red White and Blue

Time to shoot through

Before the morning dew

Pick-up my jacket and shoes

Tip toe out

Quiet as a mouse

Head for my house

If where, I only knew

And it’ll be the ‘Hour’ soon

To sing a psalm or two

And openly confess

My personal mess

There! Kneeling on the pew

I’m remembering who

She’s wearing last nights dress

Red White and Blue

 

A special mention to “Mel Gutier” and “Ward Clever”, for keeping me awake until 3.00am last night, and inspiring me to write these words. Also to Leonard Cohen’s song “Leaving The Table”

 

Ivor Steven (c)