Hello dear readers and followers, I am now writing for “Coffee House Writers” magazine on a fortnightly basis, and my poem “A Clear Blue Jar”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. …
To Read my poem, please click on the link below to visit the article, at Coffee House Writers Magazine.
>> A Clear Blue Jar – Coffee House Writers
Ivor Steven (c) November 2023
Hello dear readers and followers, here’s a re-posting of a poem I wrote in September 2017, and as is my way I have revised the piece for today’s Throwback Friday article.
A Distant Ship (Revised)
Am I afraid, or am I being slowly discouraged.
Dismayed by the emptiness in my wavering heart.
Am I consumed, or am I being bodily starved.
Eaten by the cells of my inner sentiments.
Am I senseless, or have I been possessed.
Devoured by the recess of my lonely soul.
Am I swimming backstroke behind a distant love-boat.
Drowning in the wake of the passing recovery vessel.
Ivor Steven (c) November 2023
“Every negative event contains within it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” ~ Napoleon Hill
A Positive Outcome
Saturday morning
At the Creative’s Market
All is cosy and quiet
Under the venues skylight roof
And I calmly wait for patrons
To enter the welcoming arcade
The attendance was sporadic
But I enjoyed several amiable chats
And they gratefully accepted. my poetry/website card
Then, glowingly, I sold a “Tullawalla” book
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/
OR: email me directly for a signed copy – ivorrs20@gmail.com
Ivor Steven (c) November 2023
Leonard Cohen
The Flame Flickers
Sunday afternoon
And I am in bed
Resting and daydreaming
Again, tiredness is my companion
Outside, I hear the wind
Rushing through the sky
Inside, I hear ambient music
Soothing the throb behind my eyes
I have been handed a bike
To pedal up the hill
When seated on the saddle
My feet are yet
To touch the ground
I have been assigned
A pure-bred horse to ride
When seated on the saddle
My feet are yet
To reach the stirrups
I have been given
A different path to follow
When the dust finally settles
The restored footprints
Will belong to me
Ivor Steven (c) November 2023
This week’s Throwback Friday was written in December 2020, and as is my way, I have made some changes …
Life is a Bittersweet Marathon (Revised)
life is an arduous marathon
a conundrum until the finishing line
we live in the moment
yesterday has gone
and we are not in charge of tomorrow
today is a new gift to be opened
time knowingly evolves into ripples and wrinkles
openly wavering with our shuffles and muffles
life is a bittersweet marathon
moving forward without bitterness
savouring the sweetness of completing the race
I am leaving today behind
gratefully I am wiser and a day older
and fortunately, my heart beats healthily
Featured Image: A photo of a painting hanging in the waiting room at the heart specialist rooms
Ivor Steven (c) November 2023
Featured Image Above: by Enrique from Pixabay
Over at Moonwashed Musings, Eugi’s Weekly Prompt is: Phenomenons … and for Weekly Prompts the Wednesday Challenge is: Coincidence …
To visit Sue & Gerry’s fabulous site, please click on >> Here
My poem “Phenomenal Anomaly” coincides with both of the “Prompts”
Phenomenal Anomaly
Every new day’s
A spectacle
This morning
The spring sunshine
Extols
My every phenomenal stride
Every living moment’s
A miracle
This afternoon
I am going to follow the sun
To my friend’s funeral
And extol
His every phenomenal stride
Ivor Steven (c) November 2023
“This Fence” is a poem I posted on my Site when I first began blogging in June/July 2017, however I originally wrote the piece back in 2001, when I was recovering from my first stroke in Sept’ 2000 … My words from 22 years ago seem be applicable today, as I start my recovery program from this week’s diabetes diagnosis…
This Fence
I am quickly nearing this fence.
An obstacle of a lifetime I see.
And from my side of this fence,
The hurdle is too high for me.
And on the other side of this fence,
There seems nowhere to land or flee.
I have arrived at this fence,
Above the pickets, just grey sky.
And on my side of this fence,
The grass is brown and dry.
On the other side of this fence,
The grass is green, but still I cry.
How am I to clear this fence,
There seems nowhere to go or get by.
This fence, all built of stones,
Breaks my spirit, and all my bones.
Ivor Steven (c) November 2023
Dear readers, especially those who frequent my site, you may have notice during the last several months, I have often mention in my poems, that I am very tired … today, after numerous blood tests and what nots, I have been officially diagnosed with “Diabetes”
Late evening, the sun sets, early morning, the sun rises again …
Willpower? (a Tanka)
“Why am I so tired?
What’s the diagnosis Doc?
You’ve diabetes!
That is not good Doc, now what?
Don’t fret, you’ve the will to cope”
Ivor Steven (c) November 2023
I am posting this poem “again” … there is War “again” … more innocent lives will be “Lost”
Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge is the word, Lost … please visit their fabulous site by clicking on >> Here
Featured Image Above: Gaza Strip border, Kibbutz Netiv Ha’Asara, Israel © Kai Wiendenhofer
Flying Bricks of War
There is a divisive brick wall
That stands harsh and tall
To stop people from breaking their fall
Then the leaders in ivory towers
Ceased talking about peace and flowers
And hurled bricks into that sandy strip
One brick after another brick
Flew from one side to the other
Smashing innocent children and mothers
Flying bricks crumbling into dust
Creating dirty clouds of mistrust
The walls of Babylon fell again
As brick upon brick crushed human brains
Brick upon brick filled the bloody drains
Brick upon brick killed and maimed
Ivor Steven (c) October 2023
I originally wrote this poem in January 2019, here today I have revised the piece for a second time.
Crooked Ways (Revision #2)
I’m not to be told, how to live my life
It’s been over a decade since having lost my wife
I’m not a great philosopher
Nor a modern fashion writer
I’m not a sprightly young surfer
Never clever enough to be bursar
Too old to be a toiling plumber
And these days I prefer to pen poetry
Some say you are never too old
Whatever, I shall always be bold
With my plans to reach for the stars
And continue to travel my crooked ways
Ivor Steven (c) October 2023
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 