Midas-Touched Lands (a Tanka)

Over at Weekly Prompts, the Wednesday Challenge is the word: Scary. You can visit their fabulous site by clicking on >> Here. Below my poem is a “Scary” metaphorical anti-war Tanka.





Midas-Touched Lands (a Tanka)


Sunset’s golden eye

Cries saffron spice seeds worldwide

Hard drops of yellow

Spreading beyond Eastern skies

Clouding those Midas-touched lands









Ivor Steven (c) February 2024

A Butterfly Parade

The butterflies were everywhere





A Butterfly Parade



I was admiring the view

Along Nature’s Avenue

When I stumbled upon

A flickering band of white light

A wondrous silky cloud

Of fluttering butterflies


They were everywhere

Unflaggingly flying

Hither and thither

A quivering milky river

The sunshine’s zither kisser

Wings humming a choral melody

A pearly parade, poised, ready to deliver








Ivor Steven (c) February 2024

“Until Eyes Hear Sound”, The Back Cover and My ‘Blurb’

Yesterday, Judy, my editor/publisher, set me one last task before my manuscript could be sent to the printers, which was to design a Back Cover with an interesting ‘Blurb’ for my new book. By using my ‘Canva App’, and reworking Kerri’s Front Cover design, I was happy with the image that I created. Then the difficult part was writing an appropriate ‘Blurb’ for my book, which was to be my debut attempt at writing such a piece. After many torn-up drafts and lots of frustrating self-doubts, I eventually produced my ‘Blurb’.





“Until Eyes Hear Sound”, My ‘Blurb’

The title ‘Until Eyes Hear Sound’ could mean different things depending on your interpretation. It could be a poetic expression, a metaphor for waiting for something to happen, or a way of describing a state of deep concentration where one is so focused on one’s inner vision that one becomes oblivious to external sounds.
Ivor’s poems do not suggest having the answers, but his words encourage you to think about the environment we live in, as he ponders the purpose of our existence in the Universe.
“If you love poetry that challenges, inspires, and moves you, this book is for you.”







Ivor Steven (c) February 2024

“That’s What Friends Are For”, Has Been Accepted for the “Cadence” Anthology


Today I received a lovely message from Lisa, Editor/Publisher at ‘Prolific Pulse Press’ >> https://www.prolificpulse.com/
Dear Ivor, I love the poem you just sent for Cadence and would love to publish it with the anthology. It truly put a smile on my face.


Of course, I cannot post the poem until after the Anthology has been published in March, but I can tell you that my delightful poem is about “Charlie the Caterpillar shuffling over the track to help his little friend, Billy the Bee







Ivor Steven (c) March 2024

A Spinning and Swinging World

This afternoon, while lazing around at the Cafe
I could feel the world spinning around me
Oh, what a world I did foresee

My photos were taken last night, of Venus and then the Full Moon.

A Mapie begins his flight, a leaf is swinging in the breeze, and Frankie is the centre of my spinning world.

Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge is: Chance Please visit their fabulous site by clicking on >> Here … and yes, we are taking a “Chance” by holding on, every time the world spins and swings around.





A Spinning and Swinging World




the cycle of nature

whirls around

like a spinning top

 

then slows down

at the equator’s plateau

pausing there

to swing on the world’s axis

 

either, swaying to the right

or leaning to the left

but always within reach

of life’s balancing point







Please Note: The 3 cover designs are by, Kerri Costello


Until Eyes Hear Sound,
 will be available in March

Tullawalla is Available From

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

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com

Amazon: search via, ‘Tullawalla by Ivor Steven’

AND
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) January 2024

Throwback Friday, Imperfectness (a Tanka)

I recently wrote a poem titled “Ivor’s Utopia” and I thought today’s Throwback Friday poem “Imperfectness” would be a perfect accompaniment. “Imperfectness” is from December 2022.


Imperfectness (a Tanka)


My imperfectness

Is perfectly camouflaged

Underneath the trees

Where moon shadows protect me

From the world’s imperfections




Destiny and Shame Await. is in this Week’s Coffee Writers Magazine

Hello dear readers and followers, I am again writing for “Coffee House Writers” magazine on a fortnightly basis, and my poem “Destiny and Shame Await”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. …
To Read my poem, please click on the link below to visit the articleat Coffee House Writers Magazine.
>> https://coffeehousewriters.com/destiny-and-shame-await/

Daniel Norgren’s video/song below inspired me to write these reflective words …

The Last Encore

I am standing on the diminishing foreshore
Staring at that missing ground floor
“Like there was a door”
Between here and the last encoreIvor





Ivor Steven (c) January 2024

The Sound of Time (a Tanka), and The Last Encore

“To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else” … Emily Dickinson

Rising moonlight hears the sound of the setting sunlight





The Sound of Time (a Tanka)

I am thinking why

“Is time, such a patient guy?”

I’m always writing

Anything that comes to mind

“Does time hear the sound of light?”


The Last Encore

I am standing on the diminishing foreshore

Staring at that missing ground floor

“Like there was a door”

Between here and the last encore










Ivor Steven (c) January 2024