Life/lifestyle – Ivor.Plumber/Poet

The Geelong Booktrovert Event at the Books & Brew Café

This afternoon we attended the very first Booktrovert Meet & Greet + Book Swap at the welcoming Books & Brew Café in North Geelong. Running from 11am to 3pm, the event marked the launch of a new bookish community for Geelong and surrounds — a space for readers, writers, and quiet creatives to gather and feel at home.
The café was alive with friendly conversations, book swapping, and curious visitors learning about the new Fiction and Non‑Fiction Book Clubs. Local indie authors and makers had their work on display, adding a lovely creative buzz to the room. It was the kind of gathering where strangers quickly became bookish friends, and where the simple joy of sharing stories felt like the heart of the afternoon.
A wonderful first chapter for the Booktrovert community — and a warm, memorable day at Books & Brew.

Over at Weekly Prompts, this weekend’s challenge word is Fruitful.
The Booktrovert gathering turned out to be a truly “fruitful” afternoon at Books & Brew — full of new faces, shared stories, and the quiet joy of creative community. To visit their fabulous site, please click >> Here

Books & Brew Café — the perfect welcome for Geelong’s first Booktrovert gathering.
A bright, inviting front view where readers, writers, and quiet creatives wandered in with curiosity and smiles.

The counter humming with coffee, conversation, and that gentle Booktrovert buzz.
Frankie’s chosen table — our little home base amid the warmth of the afternoon.

Local indie authors and makers showcasing their work — a colourful corner of creativity and community.

A lively crowd filling the café with book swapping, friendly chats, and new connections. A beautiful first chapter for the Booktrovert community.

Captured moments by Catherine — fellow Geelong Writers poet and generous friend.
A lovely snapshot of us together, celebrating stories and community.
Her images reflect the heart of the day: warmth, camaraderie, and shared creative spirit.

A wonderful first chapter for the Booktrovert community — full of warmth, curiosity, and connection. Books & Brew proved the perfect home for this new creative gathering, and I’m already looking forward to the next event.

Ivor Steven © September 2026

How Deep Is My Well

In the hush before dawn, the poet’s desk waits — ink, paper, and silence mingling with the faint hum of a song. “Last Rites” plays softly, and the night’s spell lingers just long enough to ask: how deep is my well?

How Deep Is My Well

Inside my pastel grey cell,
where the poet’s pencils dwell,
I stumbled over the inkwell
and felt a dank, dark swell
run down my silk lapel.

“Help!” I yell.
My cocoon’s inner shell
has become as black as hell.

“Please! Ring the hotel bell
Perhaps the night-shift personnel
will know how to quell
this bewitching writer’s spell.”

From here, the ink settles… and this song becomes the last whisper of the night.

Ivor Steven © September 2026

Cohen Noir: Celebrating the Music, Words & Legacy of Leonard Cohen

Cohen Noir: Celebrating the Music, Words & Legacy of Leonard Cohen

There’s a quiet thrill in the air today — Maree and I have just secured our tickets to Cohen Noir: Celebrating the Music, Words & Legacy of Leonard Cohen, live at the Melbourne Recital Centre on Saturday, 26th September.

It’s only four weeks away, but the mood is already settling in: that velvet‑dark Cohen atmosphere, the poetry, the ache, the humour, the songs that have followed us through decades. To step into a hall shaped for his voice — even through the hands of others — feels like a gift waiting patiently on the horizon.

A wonderful night ahead… and I’m looking forward to sharing the experience with you all.

And as we count down the four short weeks to Cohen Noir, I keep returning to the night we saw Leonard himself in Melbourne back in 2009 — a concert that still hums in the heart. To set the mood, here’s his wonderfully cheeky and soulful Tower of Song, live from London in 2008.

Ivor Steven © August 2026

Throwback Friday, Burnt Toast And A Cold Shower

Some mornings test us in small, stubborn ways — cold water, burnt toast, lights that won’t flick on. This old poem from July 2018 reminds me that even on those days, we can reset, breathe, and begin again.

Burnt Toast And A Cold Shower

When it’s so hard to get out of my warm bed,
I force myself to throw the sheets off,
and I face another day again.

When the light doesn’t go on above my head,
I replace the globe and flick the switch,
and I see again

When my shower hot water turns cold,
I patiently wait for the boiler to reheat,
and I shall be ready again.

When the toaster burns my bread,
I turn the grey dial down to three,
and I restart again

When the kettle runs bone dry,
I dutifully refill the jug,
and enjoy a cuppa again.

When breakfast is done, and it’s time to run,
I feel the advantage of being alive,
and I smile at my world again.

And sometimes a song is all it takes to steady the morning again.

Until Eyes Hear Sound

Amazon >> Amazon.com : 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 … and I can send you a PayPal account,
for the Book, plus Postage.

Ivor Steven © July 2026

Winter Sunshine

This afternoon I found myself at the calm centre of things — winter draped itself lightly over the café, letting the sunshine linger just long enough for a quiet moment to unfold.

Winter Sunshine

I’m on the axis of my universe,
here in the middle of our cafe,
at the centre of this old town —
it’s our time to relax and calm down.

We’re midway beneath winter’s hemline;
the wind is cold, but the day is fine.
The larks are enjoying the sunshine,
and I’m sipping a glass of red wine.

As the winter light faded and the sunshine slipped away, the music left its own warm shadow behind.

Ivor Steven © August 2026

Throwback Friday, Steve the Snail. His Story

This lifestyle, philosophical poem was written in November 2022 and returns to a moment of small, steady bravery. Inspired by a lone snail crossing the wet bitumen — slow, deliberate, and determined — it reflects on purpose, persistence, and the quiet journeys we all make.

Steve the Snail. His Story

I wonder what the story was
Why was Steve the Snail?
Crossing the wet bitumen road
There, by himself
Bravely and slowly sliding along
Determined to reach the other side

Steve’s path was a dangerous one
But the purpose of his journey
Remains locked away
Within the privacy
Of his ‘one-story’ home

Steve’s quiet journey reminds us how much courage lives in small, steady steps. Brandi Carlile’s The Story deepens that moment — a song for the hidden reasons and private paths we all carry within our own “one‑story” homes.

Until Eyes Hear Sound

Amazon >> Amazon.com : 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 … and I can send you a PayPal account,
for the Book, plus Postage.

Ivor Steven © July 2026

Dreamy Mushrooms

A few dreamy mushrooms from my poetic wanderings that nudged my thoughts

WordPress says I’m a social butterfly. This weekend, I’ll be more of a market‑stall moth.

Dreamy Mushrooms

The poet is not dead,
and not even seriously injured.
Do not fret —
today he’s at the Creative Market
With his poetry books,
sharing the words
that slipped and slid out of his head.

He’ll be back tomorrow,
after his dreamy mushrooms
have been sent to bed.

Let the music hold the hush that lingers after the last dreamy mushrooms are gently tucked into bed.

“A Few Milestones Along the Way”

When It All Began.

In September 2000, I suffered my first stroke. After a stretch of intensive rehab, I was finally allowed to return home and resume caring for my wife. I was still healing, still unsteady, and not yet permitted to drive. With the patient guidance of my wonderful speech therapist, I slowly relearned how to speak, read, and write.
During those early recovery days, music was always playing in the background — especially Leonard Cohen. Something in his haunting lyrics stirred me, nudged me, compelled me to start writing things down. That’s when I first discovered a small, surprising knack for shaping words into rhyme.
After several months, my therapist gently encouraged me to join a local writers’ group. And as the old saying goes, from little things, big things grow.

“A Few Milestones Along the Way”

Every now and then, WordPress taps me on the shoulder with a small surprise — a reminder of how long I’ve been wandering these digital paths, and how many kindred spirits I’ve met along the way. This week, a handful of “Achievements” arrived, and they made me pause, smile, and look back over the journey.

Ten years on WordPress. That one landed with a soft thud in my chest. A decade of poems, stories, late‑night edits, early‑morning inspirations, and the steady rhythm of showing up — even on the days when the words came slowly.

Views from over 150 countries. It still amazes me that something written at my desk in Geelong can find its way to readers oceans away. These badges aren’t really about numbers; they’re about connection — the quiet thread between writer and reader, stretched across continents.

A comment longer than the original post. That one made me laugh. It’s proof of what I love most about this place: the conversations, the generosity, the way a single poem can spark a whole exchange of thoughts, memories, and stories.

And the Globe Trotter badge — 50+ countries — a reminder of the early days when I first realised people were actually reading.

None of these milestones happened in isolation. They grew from the kindness of readers, the encouragement of fellow writers, and the simple joy of sharing words. I’m grateful for every visit, every comment, every quiet moment someone spent with one of my poems.

Here’s to the next stretch of the journey — wherever the words decide to wander.

Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge is the word ” expressive.” To visit their fabulous site, please click >> Here.

In the long echo of these streets, after all the turns and tremors, I’m still here, listening for the next line.

Never a Dull Moment

After a week of words and wandering, we finally rest. I apologise for my slow blogging replies — time has been sprinting while this old poet hobbles behind.

I’ll be reading my poems “Drumsticks” and “Dear, Danny” at the next Dome Poetry meeting — a relaxed afternoon of Postcards and Poetry at The Courthouse Museum.

Never a Dull Moment

I’m enjoying an extra-busy weekend —
Creative Geelong market on Saturday,
Dome Poetry meeting Sunday morning,
where I recited my poem
“The Portrait That Found Me.”

I also presented two poems
“Drumsticks” and “Dear, Danny,”
which I’ll be reading at the next meeting
At The Courthouse Museum, Drysdale,
For an afternoon of Postcards and Poetry.

So as you can see,
I’ve written lots more poems during the week —
over and above my normal daily output.
Needless to say, I’m exhaustipated again.

And here at the Box Cafe on Sunday afternoon,
we are having a much-needed rest and relaxation

A quiet promise before the song begins: the three poems from today’s journey will soon be finding their place here.

Creative Geelong Market Day, This Saturday, April 18th

It’s Market Day this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
* Our popular monthly markets are all undercover at Centrepoint Arcade on the third Saturday of every month.
* They feature art, unique goods from local makers, second-hand goods, plants, books, and more.
* There are also open art studios, Yesterday Vintage, Untether Gallery, HBT Collectables, and the May’d Shop.
* Grab a unique gift for Mother’s Day!

All at, Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
From 10 am to 3 pm

And I’ll be there with ‘Frankie’ and my “New Bookstall Set-up“