Birds Of A Feather

The Midweek Word Prompt is : Humour  . Here, I’ve attempted a piece of sarcastic humour, in my poem about, the human’s unusual skin pigments.

And a big thank you To V.J. Knutson, with her poem “Even Colourless, Still A Flower”, being the source of my inspiration behind my poem today

Birds Of A Feather

 

to colour us all tanned

black or white

didn’t seem right

even a humorous sight

maybe blue and green

would’ve been a better blight

and I’ve been told orange

is a preferred skin tone

best we have more colours

I’ll go buy the paint drums

toss them together

shaken, not stirred

into one huge cocktail dish

and use a whale-hair paint brush

we’ll all be covered the same

a faded colour purple

like tarnished rain clouds

not too dark

not too proud

not too white

just bright enough

to see the light

 

Please Note: The featured image above, is called ‘Four Birds’, by an Australian artist, Patsy Anguburra Lulpunda, at the Aboriginal Art Gallery

 

Ivor Steven (c)  June 2019

This Is What Matters

My Thursday evenings, are a boys night out

As usual, we drank and chattered

Opinions on every general topic

No politics nor religion

We talk about important issues

Mainly, travel, music and sports

Lively banter, of who’s who

Any, this and thats

We know what matters

And how to save a world in tatters

 

Then I was asked about my trip

My adventures in New York

And the meeting of my cousins and their families

In the warmth of Philadelphia

Fondly, I mentioned my time there

With cousins Ken, Maureen and Terry

And of course, my special niece, Kerri

I explained how they thoroughly spoilt me

I said “Truly the best time of my life”

Slowly tears welled in my eyes

And my friends, saw the liquid joy in my heart

 

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2019

 

Tullawalla # 10, Dreams Of The Heart

Hello dear friends, readers and followers, again thank you all for being so supportive of my writings. Today, I’m Proud to say I’ve finished compiling my tenth Tullawalla Booklet of my Poems. I’m extremely happy with the standard of my poems in the booklet. I suppose my healthy recovery from my two Strokes, in December and January, and my subsequent glorious visit to see my loving cousins in Philadelphia,  led to the overall joyful tone in my poems…. Again if you would like to purchase my booklet “Tullawalla, Dreams Of The Heart” please contact me through my site here, and we’ll arrange payment and delivery after making contact, and all donations I receive, go to the MS Charity shop, here in Geelong. You could search for me in Facebook/Messenger, via, Ivor Steven, Rollins Rd, Bell Post Hill, Victoria, Australia. …

Below, a few photos of some pages in the Booklet

And also, what I consider my best piece of writing I’ve done for a long time

Haiku: We Lost The Sea 

Bridges of dreams crossed

The ocean and river spanned

Waters of love found

 

 

 

“Change Of Heart” Neil Young .. Lyrics

Talk to the people
They know the truth
Time don’t mean nothing
It’s the ways that you choose
To go on living inside your house
Or move a mountain, an elephant or a mouse
Instead of stayin and dying inside
Sometimes you move
Sometimes you ride awayDon’t tell no stories
Don’t tell no lies
Not even the ones you already tried
Not proud of lies
Nothing is saved
Just a road to nowhere, your name engraved
They pick up on you
As you pick up on them
Just cause they’re birds don’t mean you can’t fly
So don’t be sorry
The pastor touched my hand
Hear on the church steps
I was 9 or 10I had a change of heart
Was a change of heart
A change of heart

Life is confusing
Love is time bent
Hate is not worth using
Even as cement
To build your walls
That you hide behind
And not see over and it blows your mind
There’s hate there now
That never was
Love is waiting just because of you cause

There’s nothing sacred
A blind man said
I see your feelings inside my head
I can’t predict it, what happens next
I love a future I don’t expect
You fortune tellers
You take my hand
See what’s there, it shifts in sands

I had a change of heart
It was a change of heart
Just a change of heart

I was the ocean
Washed up here
I’m you’re emotions
I’m your fresh beard
So drink me up and laugh away
And let’s all continue another day
Maybe tomorrow our ship will come int
And we’ll set the sails for oblivion
Not so fast
Let’s not give up
Let’s not be angry
And spill the cup
Well I’m still drinking
And I’m feeling so high
My eyes are water now, let’s give it a try
Come on baby, I’m ready to rock
Give me all you’ve got
And then let’s talk

It’s a change of heart
I had a change of heart
Just a change of heart

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2019

Warm Champagne And Icy Ponds

I stand here, in a rain filled pond

Leaning against the icy wind

Glazed eyes and I shiver

My boots are stuck in the muddy river

Ankle deep, in a chilly slush

Sheet ice numbing my toes

When will they finish my lane

Tired of walking through cold drains

The tadpoles are thriving again

Multiplying with the continual rain

My clothes are wet and stained

Walking beyond the puddles is a strain

These house-bound reins feel like chains

It’s time to defrost my frozen brain

Allow my pen to write within this frigid membrane

And tell the world, about life’s warm champagne

Ivor Steven (c) 2019

Dallas

 

The name Dallas

Hangs proudly under my verandah

The name of our old family house

There’s only us cousins, who are left

We’re unsure as to where Dallas first came from

We do know that Dallas

Was uncle John’s middle name

But where did the name originate

It’s a family mystery to us now

There’s no other mention, anywhere in our family history

And the name has not been used again

The name Dallas, shall now remain

Hanging under my verandah

As a silent memorial to uncle John

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2019

The Wedding, I Wait In Anticipation

This week’s Word Prompt is ANTICIPATION.

The Wedding, I Wait In Anticipation

 

The jet-lag is really real

Yes, the fourth evening in a row

That I’ve had to go to bed early

Although I’m gradually adjusting

I’ll be back to normal by Saturday

My younger sister’s wedding day

And I’ll be reciting a poem for her

Hopefully my love for her, is expressed in these words

“Miffy And John”

” I’ve returned from distant lands

To celebrate the joining of these loving hands

Our King, knighted this man “Honest John”

We know our dad was not wrong

Our queen, bestowed this girl with kindness

We know our mum was always the best

And with their blessings from heaven

I’m proud to accept their wisdom, here on cloud seven

Wishing my gracious sister, and new brother

All the best for a glorious future together”

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2019

 

The Joke’s On Them, By: Brandi Carlile

“The Joke”, a song by Brandi Carlile. the lyrics(below) fascinate me, and I hope you enjoy my presentation today.

The Joke, Lyrics.

You’re feeling nervous, aren’t you, boy?
With your quiet voice and impeccable style
Don’t ever let them steal your joy
And your gentle ways, to keep ’em from running wild
They can kick dirt in your face
Dress you down, and tell you that your place
Is in the middle, when they hate the way you shine
I see you tugging on your shirt
Trying to hide inside of it and hide how much it hurts

Let ’em laugh while they can
Let ’em spin, let ’em scatter in the wind
I have been to the movies, I’ve seen how it ends
And the joke’s on them

You get discouraged, don’t you, girl?
It’s your brother’s world for a while longer
We gotta dance with the devil on a river
To beat the stream
Call it living the dream, call it kicking the ladder
They come to kick dirt in your face
To call you weak and then displace you
After carrying your baby on your back across the desert
I saw your eyes behind your hair
And you’re looking tired, but you don’t look scared

Let ’em laugh while they can
Let ’em spin, let ’em scatter in the wind
I have been to the movies, I’ve seen how it ends
And the joke’s on them

Let ’em laugh while they can
Let ’em spin, let ’em scatter in the wind
I have been to the movies, I’ve seen how it ends
And the joke’s on them

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2019