Mad-hatters, No Matter the Season

On “Weekly Prompts” the Wednesday Challenge is, AUTUMN MAGIC. Please go and visit their fabulous site by clicking >> Here and the below poem is my response to their ‘prompt’ ..

Mad-hatters, No Matter the Season


The latter of matter

Did not scale the ladder

The origin of matter 

Is in our hearts pitter-patter


Matter is neither flatter nor fatter 

“What does it matter 

If we are all mad-hatters”?


We are but leaves and twigs of the ground 

Awaiting nature’s beckoning sounds





Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2021

Home is the Air I Breathe,

Published at Free Verse Revolution Magazine, Issue III, ‘hestia’

Again, many thanks to the editor Kristiana for accepting my poems, and for all her hard work in producing this beautiful anthology. The publication features the work of many talented poets, and I can’t wait to read my copy!
Issue III: hestia (hearth & home) is now available to download!

The digital download is completely free but if you wish to donate/pay as you feel, you can do so through the Donate tab.

Issue III: hestia (hearth & home) explores what home means to us all through poetry, prose, photography & artwork. Contributors reveal how it feels to belong, how we are defined by people and places and how Hestia’s legacy lives on.

Below, Home is the Air I Breathe, is the 2nd of my two contributions to this fabulous magazine




Home Is the Air I Breathe


welcome to our home

the house of rustic timber and stone

home is where my heart is now

and now I live here alone

but I am comfortable

wearing the same old shoes

walking her every mile

she’s in every corner stone

she’s in the marrow of my bones

we share the air I breathe

inhaling her gracious spirit

capturing her living essence

absorbing her love into my blood

pumping through my empty veins

cascading upon my open heart

caressing my solitary core

embracing our souls as one





Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2021

Where to Now?

Eugi’s Weekly Prompt – “Connector” – September 23, 2021, click on the link to visit her fabulous site . >> https://amanpan.com/2021/09/23/eugis-weekly-prompt-connector-sept-23-2021/




Where to Now?


Where do they hide? 

When the sea is at full-tide


What lays beyond the sand?

In foreign hands on distant lands 


Their long windy road is untraveled 

With trials of fear yet to be unravelled





Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2021

Some Time Now



Some Time Now


Today’s anniversary is fouty five yeas

A marriage of happy smiles, then sad tears

Our color is both red and sapphire blue

Representing the depth and stability of you


Anniversaries, they come, and they go

Some time now since that final May snow

Anniversaries, my soul does not let them pass

Some time now, I reminisce the last


Anniversaries, none ever forgotten

Some time now since your everlasting smile was taken

Anniversaries, over coral and every colour

Some time now since your tidal wave of valour


Anniversaries, when love grew stronger

Some time now since the years became longer

Anniversaries, covered by, love, suffering and pain

Some time now since our river flooded with rain

Your troubles fell, with an Autumn leaf

Forever enshrined, our promises of belief





Ivor Steven (c) September 10th 2021

Standing Upright

Hello dear readers, I’ve been writing this poem over the last three days, and I was struggling to obtained any rhythm between thoughts and words, and then I saw a wondrous photo on Derrick Knight’s blog/website this morning, (which is my ‘Featured Image’ above), and his photo of the glorious old oak tree, immediately channelled my thoughts, into that of strength and resilience, and from there, my Title was formed, and my words started to become a more cohesive piece of poetry…. Thank you Derrick, for allowing me to use this beautiful and impressive photo, with my humble little poem.

Standing Upright

My heart’s bruised from bygone blood-stones

Threaded together by the spirits of old bones

And they’re resting within my ageing body’s soft clay

But I’m leaking, soulful droplets on sunny days

The world’s foul winds are blowing me off my feet

When I’m wobbling down cold and dusty streets

Then a modern medicine-man came with his young tribe

Re-tuning my rusty pieces, with rhythmical vibes

And they declared my cello strings, to be plucky enough

To handle tomorrow’s mystery masks and travellers handcuffs

Ivor Steven (c) August 2020

Drifting Forward

I’ve having a busy Wednesday. My Barwon (Geelong) Health, and Aged Care Plan, has begun today, with a morning visit from the nurse organising my plan, and this afternoon, the plan’s Doctor came to visit me, and from tomorrow, I’ll be having daily visits by physiotherapists and occupational therapists. .. The health program is design around keeping me comfortable and safe at home, and reduce the risks of further falls or accidents in the home… Don’t worry, I am reasonably healthy, and I’m happy to be within this scheme, which is about looking after susceptible older persons living by themselves, and after my recent episodes, I’m in that category….   So my time here on WP has been limited today, and will be for a couple of weeks, as get used to health plan’s orientation and introduction…. Haha,.. having said all that, I had time to write this Haiku at lunchtime, a piece which had been drifting about in mind….

 

Drifting Forward

 

Cleanse our dirty clouds

Saturate the stains with rain

Wash away this pain

 

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  July 2020