“Beliefs are what divide people. Doubt unites them.” ~ Peter Ustinov
In a World of Doubt
To the left of where I sit,
I see a bright red strip
flash across the night sky.
In disbelief, I rub my weary eyes.
I do not panic, or feel fear,
as my vision slowly becomes clear.
I perceive my angel’s lake of tears
has entered my atmosphere.
Awakened, I valiantly swim out,
and try to save my world of doubt.
Ivor Steven (c) October 2025
Right to Rise (a Haiku)
We all have the right
To fly under the sun’s light
Beyond their gunsights
Ivor Steven (c) October 2025
“May the wind always be at your back and the sun upon your face, and the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars.” ~ George Jung
Wind and Light
I cannot perceive the speed of light,
but I can feel its energy –
gently touch my skin.
I cannot see today’s cold gusts,
but I can hear nature’s wind —
boldly sting my eyes.
Between light and wind,
I know who is the fastest.
But I wonder: who is the strongest?
.
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 © October 2025
Definitions:
quintessence:
noun: the most typical example or representative of a type
noun: the purest and most concentrated essence of something
noun: the fifth and highest element after air and earth and fire and water; was believed to be the substance composing all heavenly bodies
florescent; flowering; bursting into flower
iridescent; the visual property of something having a milky brightness
pearlescent; resembling a pearl; having a pearly lustre or sheen
opalescent; colourless or white like an opal, or changing colour like an opal.
candescent; glowing or starting to glow with heat
evanescent; gradually disappears from sight or memory.
Senescent; characteristic of old age
Quintessence
Above my florescent sunflowers
Twilight’s iridescent sky
Of a pearlescent sunset
And an opalescent moonrise
Animated my candescent world
And the evanescent wave of light
Revived my senescent eyes
.
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 2025Posted
I am extremely proud and humbled by the acceptance of five of my poems by the amazing Susi Bocks, Editor-in-Chief at The Short of It! “Hot off the Press” and released for publication today!
New Light
Cascading sunshine
Falls into my cloudy eyes
Cold ponds feel new light
Further Down
From the Pandemic’s
Depressing downs
Into my Covid
Dressing gown
Finality
after we have consumed
the leftover wine
and desecrated the sundial’s shadow
the dark side of the moon
will finally recede from view
Co-existence
Beneath the trees and bushes
Lives an underground network
Prospering on giving and receiving
Our Time
Time waits for no one
Everyone passes in time
Time hears no commands
~~~
Ivor Steven, formerly an Industrial Chemist and then a Plumber, is now retired; he has been published in numerous anthologies and online magazines. He has two self-published books, Tullawalla and Perceptions. Ivor is an active member of the Geelong Writers Inc.(Australia) and an appointed writer for Coffee House Writers magazine (USA). He was first featured in 2022 and was nominated for the 2022 Pushcart Prize for his piece – The Sum is One. You can read his features and reblog by clicking HERE.
If you’d like to be featured on The Short of It in the future,
click here for the submission guidelines.
Ivor Steven (c) March 8th 2024
Over at Weekly Prompts, the Wednesday Challenge is the word: Inspiration. You may visit their wonderful site by clicking on >> Here.
My poem below was “Inspired” by my evening photos of Nature’s Lights …
Evening Lights
My welcome light is on and shining
The twilight moon is iconically glowing
And the setting sun has thrown
A laser light across the horizon
The evening show has begun
There is enough room for everyone
Join me and Doctor Who’s Tardis crew
Enjoy a timeless front-row view
For a magical evening of fun
And savor another of nature’s classic re-runs
Until Eyes Hear Sound
Not available on Lulu or Amazon yet … but you may purchase it from me, via this web page or my email >> ivorrs20@gmail.com
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) February 2024
Hi dear readers, as you might know, I have written numerous ‘Double or Dual Haiku’, but I am yet to find a suitable ‘Format Name’ for this different style of Haiku … Today I have named my ‘Double Haiku‘ a “Tu-aiku” and this is the format name I’ll be using from now on … Please let know if you like my “Tu-aiku” name for a ‘Double Haiku’.
Feel the Light (a Tu-aiku)
The autumn magpie
Walks among the leaves and worms
An Easter parade
Below the greyness
We will always feel the light
Warmly caress us
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) April 2023
Beyond the daylight
A trillion light-years away
Is there further light?
Where does the universe end?
Is infinity the light?
Ivor Steven (c) June 2022
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 