We’re All Here As One

In this week’s Wednesday challenge “Weekly Prompts” have chosen a very important word for the time we are living in : VULNERABILITY. Please go and visit “Weekly Prompts” site by clicking >>HERE.  Yes we are definitely living in vulnerable times of isolation and distancing. My poem below is about staying connected via our websites. And Hanna Kah’s website platform, is a good example of putting your talents out there, for everyone to enjoy… Here’s the link to their site > https://www.culture-y.com/  , and for an added bonus, if you click onto their site, and click ‘Home’, and then click on the video on their Header Page, you’ll get a video show of Hanna Kah’s live performance, from in her lounge-room studio…. please enjoy the show….

 

We’re All Here, As One

 

Mid afternoon

Time for a cuppa and cake

In the safety

Of my writing haven

Sheltering under the verandah

Listening to Hanna Kay’s music

Via a direct connection to Germany

Playing songs from her lounge-room

All the way to my courtyard

 

I’m all alone here

However, I’m sharing all of my words

To all of you readers

From all around the world

We’re all at a distance apart

But we’re all here, as one

 

https://youtu.be/QXgtaJ_fgOg

 

Ivor Steven (c)  April 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Easter Poem Lands In Mainz

My Easter poem “An Old Book Closes, a New Door Opens” , has grown wings, and landed in Germany (Mainz), via a website platform calledCulture-Y >> https://www.culture-y.com/das-format/

CULTURE-Y is an initiative of the Mainz band Hanne Kah. “Now, at a time when we face restrictions in everyday life, we feel all the more that cohesion is the most important formula for living together. Therefore, we decided to show all the wonderful actions and projects that impress and motivate across generations.”

“With this initiative we want to offer a platform for everything that is created “out there” in Mainz and the world so that it can move into your living room.”

“Everything should be possible on our portal. We think across generations and will unconditionally show everything that seems important and right to us. We will not be able to guarantee that every image is produced in high gloss, that technology always plays along. It remains handmade and that’s a good thing. We can already assure one thing: We believe in our platform and would be very happy if you would like to be part of our community.”

“Show us your creativity and send us your contributions. Let’s make CULTURE-Y great!..”

 

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Ivor Steven (c)  April 2020 .

An Old Book Shuts, a New Door Opens

This weekend the challenge from “Weekly Prompts” is: Up and Down. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking >>Here .    My response below is a poem about, the ‘downs and ups’ of our worlds situation at the moment….

 

An Old Book Shuts, a New Door Opens

 

Today I question myself

What do I see?

Upon my worlds’ lower shelf

There! An open wider drawer

Containing a treasure chest

A vast crater of potential

 

An orb with a mystical two piece door

The doors’ bottom half’s pale blue

Like yesterday’s fading blue moon

A book of old testaments

 

The doors’ top half’s bright yellow

A gateway of gilded gold

The book of tomorrow’s future

The new prophecy of days under the sun

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)

 

 

Coffee and Cake

 

Coffee and Cake

 

While shoppers are seeking toilet rolls for their bedpans

And busy emptying the shelves of silver-beet

I’m a traditional coffee and cake man

Who craves something tasty and sweet

Direct from the old bakery van

Like a coconut and chocolate wafer treat

With a freshly brewed coffee at hand

And a jovial chat, via a friendly meet

 

 

 

Ivor Steven (c) April 2020..

Sage Bush At Guard Tower Twelve(Revised)

This week’s Wednesday Challenge on the “Weekly Prompts” site is the word BOUNDARIES. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking >>HERE  . Below is my poem about the biggest social boundary every put in place on this planet !!

 

Sage Bush At Guard Tower Twelve

 

I’ve been on the run for weeks

Heading towards the Great Wall

From atop this steep hill

My nose tells me, I’m close

And I smell that distinctive sage aroma

Knowing, the sage bush is nearby

Below the gateway to guard tower twelve

My old bones shake and shiver

The Mongolians are closing quickly

Spears and arrows aquiver

 

Fear grips me, and I crawl low

Fingers grasping this granite boundary

Block after block, of the giant blockade

Frightened, I’m too scared to fall

Onto those deadly steel blades

And cold rugged rocks below

I clamber higher, step after step

Finally there above, I see my wish

The flowering sage bush

Mauve blooms bowing in the breeze

My chest sighs and heaves

I clear my lungs, and scream

Soon I’ll be free, as I see

Near the sage bush at guard tower twelve

The Emperor’s warriors, my reprieve

Saved, I fill the Royal message bag with sage leaves

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  April 2020.

Dreams of Hope

today there’s menacing trouble

one day we’ll fly out of our bubbles

 

hopefully people’s profanity

and selfish insanity

will cease after the matinee

and they’ll resurrect humanity

 

there shall be more grief

but there will be relief

when love will grow closer

between barriers and the waiter

 

in my courtyard you’ll exist

in the green leaves of hope

in my heart you’ll exist

in the hum of my souls hope

 

Featured Image: My fernery’s, Philodendron selloum, called ‘Hope’

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  April 2020

A Luxury of Green, Xanadu

This weekend the Saturday challenge from Weekly Prompts, and their monthly colour challenge for April is: Xanadu. Please go and visit their fabulous site by clicking > HERE

Above Images: Photos from my fernery, of the Philodendron Xanadu.

 

A Luxury of Green, Xanadu: A Cinquain* poem

 

Ancient

Kubla Khan times

A Palace of beauty

Mystical Xanadu city

Did thrive

 

*A Cinquain is 5 lines: 
Line 1: 2 syllables 
Line 2: 4 syllables 
Line 3: 6 syllables 
Line 4: 8 syllables 
Line 5: 2 syllables 

And here’s my favourite “Green” song, Leonard Cohen’s ‘Leaving Green Sleeves’

 

 

Another Day

The muted day is ambling by

Grey clouds blowing in the sky

Banks of rain tears are flowing down

I’m sheltering under my iron crown

 

I wonder about today and tomorrow

When are we to reappear from our burrows

Winter approaches to cool the ground

Autumn colours are vanishing uncrowned

The super-bug remains lingering in the air

And Scientist are striving to snuffle this virus affair

 

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  April 2020