Christmas Day

I have enjoyed a fun time, yesterday, my brother’s birthday, and Christmas Day with my siblings, and doggies, Frankie, and his cousins Cookie & Whiskey

And Whiskey, Cookie and Frankie

Frankie wearing his Christmasy ears

Merry Christmas to all

Cheers from Ivor & Frankie

Ivor Steven December 25th 2023

Stars

Last Sunday morning I attended the “The Dome Poets” Christmas Party ‘brunch’, and we were each to bring a short poem about our poetry group (Secret), which was then folded and drawn from a hat, and recited by the drawer, and then we had to guess who wrote the poem … A very enjoyable session indeed, but I didn’t guess the authors too well … Haha, I got mine right! and one other …

Featured Image Above: The Dome Poets Group, taken at our Anthology book launch in June




Stars (My Poem, for the Dome Poetry Christmas Party)


Another year has been and gone

Today our words are secretly drawn

We’ll open our eyes and hear the peaceful sounds

Of our poems being eloquently unbound

A time for the Dome’s stars to be crowned








Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

Nature’s Way (a Rhyming Haiku)

Many of you know of my friendship with Derrick Knight … last night his property was lashed by gale force winds and in response to his article about the damage to his wonderful garden, I wrote this Haiku. >> https://derrickjknight.com/2023/12/21/fearing-for-the-weeping-birch/ Please Note; All photos reproduced on this post, were taken by Derrick






Nature’s Way (a Rhyming Haiku)




Be that as it may

Nature’s in charge of our days

We don’t have a say









Perceptions is Now Available via:

Amazon: https://amzn.asia/d/4yFHWrT

Jaymah Press: https://www.jaymahpress.com.au/

Lulu Books: https://www.lulu.com/shop/ivor-steven-and-derrick-knight/perceptions/hardcover/product-2pwqe4.html?q=Perceptions+by+Ivor+Steven&page=1&pageSize=4

OR: email me directly for a signed copy – ivorrs20@gmail.com  


Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

Throwback Friday, A Christmas Diamond, a Sparkling Jewel (Revised)

I wrote the original piece on 21st December 2017, and this revised version I wrote on the 21st December 2019.






A Christmas Diamond, a Sparkling Jewel (Revised)


I dreamt of your radiant face last night

So serene, a diamond, a dove, so pure white

Not sad, just vivid memories, oh, so bright

And I’ve plenty of tears, don’t worry, I’m all right

Visions of your bravery, courage above, and beyond

So gracious, an everlasting smile, our iconic bond

Completely in awe, amazing, a personal anthem

And I declare you were natures stellar blossom

I felt your pain, your sorrow, revealed to only a few

So uncomplaining, never a burden, never a shrew

Thinking the whole world should be like you

I wish this hungry planet could be cheerful too

Wondering why is life, sometimes ordained cruel?

But I’ll continue on, for you, my sparkling Jewel







Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

Becalmed Without an Alibi

I am reposting this poem in response to Moonwashed’s Weekly Prompted; Becalmed
>> https://amanpan.blog/2023/12/19/moonwashed-weekly-prompt-becalmed/



Becalmed Without an Alibi





Time to unshackle my inflatable raft

And reignite my charred draft

I left floating down the river

When I was the disabled driver

Of my Itmims space craft


Sadly, the fuel tank is running on empty

And the secondhand battery is almost dry

I need to recharge my world beyond page twenty

And being becalmed is not an imaginative alibi

Itmims; Ivor’s Time Machine In Micro Space







Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

A Christmas Party, With a “Bad Santa” Book Swap

On Sunday I attended the “lowercase poetry” Christmas Party, and it was a wonderfully friendly gathering and a merry time was had by all. The event featured a “Bad Santa” book swap, where we all brought along a Gift Wrapped Book (secret) to place under the ‘tree’, and when your name was announced you went up and picked a gift … there were certainly many enjoyable moments as we unwrapped our “Mystery Books” … and my parcel contained two books, Terry Pratchett’s “Wyrd Sisters, & The Poems And Plays Of Oliver Goldsmith, and a lovely letter from the gift wrapper …







A Christmas Party With a “Bad Santa” Book Swap 


 
 
The weekend flew by  

Under a sunny Christmas sky 


There was togetherness below the marquee’s shade  

And much happiness openheartedly displayed 


And beneath the leafy jade tree  

A stack of wrapped books, I did see 

For the “Bad Santa” book swap spree 


Luckily, my pick was Terry Pratchett’s “Wyrd Sisters” 

A humourous story about politics and witchery








Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

In Response, I Say

Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge, is the word; Single … please visit their wonderful site by clicking on >> Here …
My poem below is a “singular”(private), message of sympathy to a friend on WordPress






In Response, I Say




As my tears pass by

I caress my salty eyes

It could be the humid weather

Or the gentle touch of a quill’s feather

No matter, life, brings us together








Ivor Steven (c) December 2023

Throwback Friday, Chocolates After Midnight

This is a metaphorical poem I wrote in December 2020, and as is my way, here I have substantially altered the wording from the original …


Chocolates After Midnight (Revised)


My stomach’s rumbling

Upset and tumbling

I’ve been swallowing

lumps of dark chocolate

And guzzling black coffee

from a bloodstained goblet

.

The heavy clouds of yesterday

Have stuck around

like entrenched clay

Has this embattled midnight

moved into stay?

Will my charcoal pencil be able

to write about peace today?








Ivor Steven (c) December 2023