Tag: Anti-war

After the Fall




After the Fall


After falling through the fragmented cloud,
the rusty and weary traveller
appeared to be disoriented,
without his familiar protective shroud.
Escaping his country has been hazardous,
and he longs for a restful shelter.

However, until the stampede’s contaminated dust
is devoured by its own mistrust-

then, and only then,
will the Almighty Sun
incinerate the lingering clouds
and allow the world’s war-torn sky
to redeem his sacred ground.




Throwback Friday, In the Full Moon’s Afterglow


It’ll be a full moon tomorrow, and appropriately, my Throwback Friday is a full moon poem, which I wrote in May 2024.
Please note that all attached images were taken by me late this afternoon (Thursday).



In the Full Moon’s Afterglow

My world’s worn-out words flow
From the torn sunflower meadows
To the silent streets of Moscow
Written on the hills of Dnipro in blue-line lingo
Beyond the reach of the full moon’s afterglow
And painted in lyrical tempo with hypnotic gusto

Am I to be another muted scarecrow
Mutilated by the warlords’ errant crossbows





.


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)



Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)



Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books


OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com


Ivor Steven © May 2025

Drifting Bassinets

Drifting Bassinets


On my knees, by the sea
Looking beyond our sentinel trees
I hear their whistling palms
Forlornly echoing abandoned alarms

Through their leaves’ silhouettes
I see a becalmed ocean of wavelets
Caressing a boat full of suffragettes
Fleeing the dusty sky of Mariupol sunsets
Clutching their war-torn bassinets






Ivor Steven (c) July 2025

One Day, or: Bless My Soul


Today’s poem was my inspired poetic response to David’s “Sijo”, ‘Of all things, or: Bridge to nowhere’. >> https://skepticskaddish.com/2025/03/28/of-all-things-or-bridge-to-nowhere/
Over at Weekly Prompts, since it’s the last weekend of the month, “One Day” is again the monthly Prompt! To visit their fabulous site, please click on >> Here


One Day, or: Bless My Soul



Beneath our feet, there lies a common mound
Between our ears, the winds of time hear no sound
Below our eyes, the promised land cannot be found
Within our hearts, we share the lost and drowned

Beyond our souls, the world’s burial grounds
Belong to the hounds, who run the battlegrounds






Ivor Steven © March 2025

Throwback Friday, Innocent Millipedes

Today’s Throwback Friday poem was written in March 2022, and appears in my third book, “Until Eyes Hear Sound”, Chapter 1, Little Creatures and Birds, page 6



Innocent Millipedes



Please Mr Shootin’ Putin
Do not roll your tanks of destruction
Over the innocent Mr & Mrs Millipede
Millipedes were the earliest animals to breathe air
And make the move from water to land
They date back 428 million years
Now people of the world cannot hold back their tears

Did you know Mr Shootin’ Putin
That Millipedes are fairly timid critters
Docile decomposers that live in the leaf litter
Of forests all over the world!
They aren’t flashy or fast
And they follow the motto
“Slow and steady wins the race”
Millipedes are peaceful
They don’t bite
They can’t sting
And they don’t have pincers to fight back

Please Mr Shootin’ Putin
Do not roll your tanks of destruction
Over the innocence of creation







.


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)




Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)




Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books




OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com




Ivor Steven (c) March 2025

Walking in the Hard Rain








Walking in the Hard Rain



“Welcome,” said Nature with a grin
The second day of Autumn
Was wet with a cold westerly wind
And the hard pouring rain
Felt like icy needles and pins

However, without commands or demands
Here I live, in this far away land
Where a coward’s hammer and nails can not pierce my hand
Or deter my protests from a flooded grandstand

I hear only helter skelter from the expellers
As I think about the children
Sheltering in their damp cellars
Hiding from Putin’s hard rain
A deluge of bombs and bullets
Callously sent to kill and maim









.


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)




Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)





Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books



OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) March 2025

Handcuffs and Fisticuffs






Handcuffs and Fisticuffs

Climbing out of the darkness
The peaceful moom cautiously emerges
And involuntarily reflects our truthfulness

Are we self-consciously honest enough?
To read his self-evident messages
Are we able to undo our self-imposed handcuffs?
And cease our self-righteous fisticuffs






.


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)




Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)




Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books



OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) January 2025

Who’s Following Who?






Who’s Following Who?


Who are the moonrakers?
Who are the matchstick makers?
Who are the dictators?
Who are the takers?

Who is flying south?
Who is flying off at the mouth?

Who is to release the East?
From the unpoliced wild beast

Where are the high priests?
Are we being fleeced?
Piece by piece

How can peace ever be unleashed?
While heartless bastards feast
On our poor bakers’ yeast







.


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)





Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)





Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books




OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) January 2025

Again, Another Year Out Of Tune





Again, Another Year Out Of Tune



Two thousand and twenty-four
Dramatic drones pierced closed doors

As wars were recoated and reloaded
Inflated and dangerously bloated

Earth’s clouded atmosphere is corroded
Our lives are shrouded and overcrowded

Politics and countries are not immune
And the World continues to spin out of tune

Here in Aussie land, normality twirls in dizziness
As we wait for next year’s unfinished business







Ivor Steven (c) December 31st 2024