A small mushroom on the winter ground caught my eye today, leaning toward a thin slice of sun and reminding me how even the smallest things reach for warmth.
Reaching for the Sun (a Haiku)
Sitting on cold ground
Reaching for the winter sun
Spores falling earthward
When the warmth leans in
let the music rise with the winter light.
Ivor Steven © June 2026
Twilight’s Afterglow (a Haiku)
It’s wet and windy
But there in twilight’s cold sky
An afterglow winks
After a long night, the morning sky offered its own remedy — wings, leaves, and laughter in the air.
The Best Hangover Cure (a Haiku)
Birds, trees, and fresh air
Where nature will soothe my soul
And an aching head
For days like this, even the sky knows the cure.
Ivor Steven © June 2026
Haiku from around the world now resting in Japan’s premier literary museum — a milestone worth celebrating.
This morning brought extraordinary news from Gabriela Marie Milton of Literary Revelations Press — news worth celebrating.
Learn more about Literary Revelations Press: >> https://literaryrevelations.com
The Museum of Modern Japanese Literature in Tokyo has officially accepted four Literary Revelations anthologies into its permanent collection:
Thanks to a thoughtful presentation by Literary Revelations’ Artist in Residence, Hikari, the museum recognised the depth and authenticity of these global haiku voices. Their decision reflects a growing appreciation for international expressions of Japanese poetic forms.
For Gabriela, for Hikari, and for every contributor, this is a moment of genuine pride. These books will now rest in Japan’s premier literary institution — preserved for future scholars, poets, and readers.
As a contributor to both Tranquility and Haiku for Soulmates, I’m deeply honoured to be part of this moment.
Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku
Let the music settle softly over the moment — a quiet echo of everything worth celebrating.
Ivor Steven © June 2026
Walking home in the late afternoon beneath a low blanket of cloud, I found the light dull and the sky muted. Even so, I managed to capture these birds in flight. The dim conditions left my original photos a little blurry, but with the help of my Copilot app, I was able to gently sharpen them and bring their motion back to life.
My Bird Photos (a Haiku)
Birds do not need words
Artistically superb
They’re the sky’s Rembrandts
“A song to drift with, wings open to the sky — an echo of freedom to follow the final image
Ivor Steven © May 2026
Dear Readers and Fellow Contributors,
I’m delighted to share that Haiku for Soulmates has made a stunning debut — reaching #1 Amazon Bestseller in the US, Japan, and the UK. What an extraordinary achievement for everyone involved.
Gabriela Marie Milton, our editor, offers these beautiful words from her heart:
Gadriela: (the Editor) A few words from her heart:
“Haiku for Soulmates is a breathtaking collision of ancient tradition and the boundless, relentless auroras of the modern spirit.
Today, the world becomes a little smaller and infinitely more beautiful. As an editor and publisher, my heart overflows; witnessing this vision transition from a dream into a living, breathing masterpiece is a profoundly emotional moment. This is not just an anthology—it is a global sanctuary, a cinematic tapestry woven from the heartbeats of 200 extraordinary contributors.
From the sacred silence of its Japanese birthplace to the vibrant, shimmering horizons of voices spanning the globe, these pages hum with a rare, vertical excellence. We have captured the lightning of human connection and pressed it into ink.
To my brilliant contributors: you are the light that makes this aurora possible. To the world: I invite you to step into this gallery of the soul and lose yourself in the brilliance of the brief, the bold, and the transcendent.”
The journey begins now. Explore the anthology at the link below.
Link: https://us.amazon.com/Haiku-Soulmates-Literary-Revelations-ebook/dp/B0H161X18Q/
Learn more about Literary Revelations Publishing House >> Literary Revelations – Independent Publisher of Poetry and Prose
The Haiku below are my 5 contributions to the anthology.
Between hugging arms
From my elbows to your toes
An embrace we trust
Home is on my mind
Home is nearby, and afar
Home’s her distant star
Cloudless summer days
Sunlight kissing everything
I felt you with me
Our dreams connected
Across turbulent oceans
Waters of love found
Soft winter sunshine
Her sky’s raining blue diamonds
Warms my fragile heart
For every heartbeat woven into this anthology, here is a song for the souls who found each other across distance, silence, and light.
Ivor Steven © May 2026
G’day readers. It has been an emotional weekend — my mother’s birthday yesterday, my wife’s funeral day, and Mother’s Day today here in Australia. This haiku is a small tribute to the gracious and courageous women who shaped me, and to the strength their lives still give me as I move forward.
Willing (a Haiku)
Still willing to fly
Black sky and an arctic wind
Nothing holds me back
For the women who taught me to rise, even on the coldest of days.
Ivor Steven © May 2026
This morning arrived with a soft, icy hush — the kind of cold that settles on rooftops and lingers in the breath, even as the moon looks like an ice cube
The Cold Facts (a Haiku)
An icy morning
Wind-chill down to two degrees
The moon looks cold too!
Let this winter‑blue tune drift beneath the cold morning moon.
Ivor Steven © May 2026
As the sky deepened to red, the day’s meaning settled softly around us.
Over at Weekly Prompts, it’s the weekend of the month, which means it’s time for the One-Day Prompt. Here in Australia, it’s that One Day of the year when we commemorate ANZAC Day. To visit the Weekly Prompts site, please click on >> Here
Lest We Forget (a Haiku)
Twilight’s blood red sky
Quietly reminded us
About ANZAC Day
Ivor Steven © April 2026
Late‑autumn warmth and a sky washed clear — moments of sunshine worth pausing for.
Beyond Blue (a Haiku)
From beyond the blue
Here, within your universe
The sun shines on you
This song appeared unprompted today, as if from beyond the blue.
A soft sky‑note to carry you toward tomorrow’s light.
Ivor Steven © April 2026
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 