Tag: Nature

Mankind’s Dirty Hands

My poem today is based on a poetic ‘comment’ that I wrote on the “Chatter Blog’s” site, after reading her interesting article. For those who follow Colleen’s site, would agree that all of her posts are thought provoking and interesting, and you may visit her article by clicking on this link >> https://bikecolleenbrown.wordpress.com/2021/12/29/hasnt-been-back/



Mankind’s Dirty Hands



I am an ancient oak tree

leaning against the prevailing breeze

the winds of time have shaped me

after blowing my disguise into the sea


now here I stand

a lifeless shadow

of leafless branches

within nature’s naked forest

waiting for mankind’s dirty hands

to stop the desert sands

from ravaging the last strands

of what remains hanging over our land





Ivor Steven (c) January 2022

“In the Valley of Light”, is published in Vita Brevis’ new anthology

I’m proud to announce that my poem “In the Valley of Light”, has been published in the Anthology “Nothing Divine Dies”, a poetry anthology about Nature, produce by Vita Brevis Press, which is Volume III, in their successful series of Anthologies, and my sincere thanks go to the editor Brian for kindly considering my poem.

“Nothing divine dies. All good is eternally reproductive. The beauty of nature reforms itself in the mind, and not for barren contemplation, but for new creation.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature

From a shaft of sunlight warming the kitchen floor to a lush forest by Walden pond, what is it about experiencing nature that pleases and fulfills us? In the third volume of the Vita Brevis Poetry Anthology,established and emerging poets from around the world show what nature means to them. This is nature poetry at its most precise and moving, continuing the long tradition of Transcendentalism, deciphering ourselves and the world that sustains us — with art.

You may purchase this outstanding Anthology via these links
>> Paperback (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737296519)
>> Ebook (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PDN3YGZ)



In the Valley of Light


The cold winds of change

Blow down from the mountain range

Gathering up lost souls estranged


Rescuing them from the forest of shadows

And release them into the sunny valleys of tomorrow


Where there is light, there is colour

Where there is colour, there is energy

Where there is energy, there is life





Ivor Steven (c) December 30th 2021

Nurture, Give, and Receive





Nurture, Give, and Receive




It’s a material world 

That leaves us in a whirl


What we really need 

Is a planet without greed 

That needs our minds to proceed

By growing and nurturing her seeds


Then our journey becomes that of the giver

Rather than being nature’s grieving receiver





Ivor Steven (c) December 2021

Connected

My poem today has been inspired by the three photos here on my article … The photos were all taken by Derrick Knight, who kindly allowed me to reproduce them here for my poem “Connected” … You may visit Derrick’s fabulous site by clicking on this link >> https://derrickjknight.com/2021/11/19/traffic-control-duties/

Connected


up there

under draconian dark clouds

I see a blue moon rising

gracefully shrouding the horizon


meanwhile


back here

on terra firma

woodland Autumn leaves are

colourfully crowning her mounds


where nature’s

unruffled fauna are found

gratefully grazing upon her

wounded ground



https://youtu.be/HGeKMD-nAis




Ivor Steven (c) November 2021

Cracks in the Dome

Today I read a brilliant poem over on David Redpath’s fabulous site, and I thoroughly recommend that you read his outstanding piece, by clicking on this link >>https://highwaybloggery.com/2021/11/17/welcome-to-the-placebo-dome/

The below poem, is made up from the two comments that I placed on David’s site today.


Cracks In The Dome



I can hear bells ringing from the Placebo Dome

Through the cracks in my wall here at home

And still they are singing the same old anthem

Hollow words of charming wit and blunt sarcasm

Resonating from the dysfunctional meetings in Glasgow

Declaring they have saved the planet from a deadly afterglow




Absurdly, far too ironic

In a town so green and iconic

With their faces all aglow

Ashamed they were too slow

Because there’s not enough dough

Although

The world continues to produce live ammo





Ivor Steven (c) November 2021

Dwindling (a Haiku)

Featured Image Above: was the inspiration behind my Haiku, thanks to another wonderful photo taken by Derrick Knight, and you can visit his fabulous site by clicking on this link >>https://derrickjknight.com/2021/11/11/before-and-after-sunset-2/





Dwindling (a Haiku)


The sunset subsides

Behind dark clouds there’s a glow

Where light turns to night





Ivor Steven (c) November 2021

An Emerald Tapestry

  “Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.” ― Leonard Cohen
Featured Image Above: taken from the lookout at the Moorabool Valley Chocolate Cafe, overling the emerald valley …

An Emerald Tapestry


I resumed living last decade

Narrowly surviving gravities finality

Now, I lean against my tower’s balustrade

That overlooks an emerald valley


Echoing from my castle’s balcony

I hear Leonard Cohen’s words about life’s pagentry

Outlining the spiritual tapestry

Of commonality, morality, and vitality





Ivor Steven (c) November 2021

Hypnotic Jasmine and Aromatic Coffee

On Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge is post something just for the fun of it, and their prompt is: Just For Fun. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking >> Here . .. And today my poem “Hypnotic Jasmine And Aromatic Coffee” is a fun piece I wrote at the ‘Box Office Cafe’ this afternoon…







Hypnotic Jasmine and Aromatic Coffee


Under a sapphire sky

bathing in purified sun

a cool sea-breeze drifts by

adroitly holding the exotic fragrance

of a hypnotic jasmine blossom


then the cafe’s aromatic coffee

flavours the air

as a tasty apple-slice

awaits to be sacrificed

beyond the pandemic’s vices





Ivor Steven (c) October 2021






Did You Hear The Full Moon Sing?

Featured Image Above: “A Tree-house for Mystical Faeries”(My Title for the photo), taken by, Derrick Knight, and reproduced here with his permission, and again, thank you to Derrick for his kindness and continued support of my poems. Link for Derrick Knight’s site; > https://derrickjknight.com/author/derrickjknight/



Did You Hear The Full Moon Sing?


Yesterday, spring arrived

Last night, a full moon ignited the sky

Today, warmth arose from the earth


Everywhere I walked

Nature stood there bountiful and proud

Everywhere I looked

Nature displayed her colourful shrouds


I saw a glossy black pony

Glowing in the paddock moonlight

And a garden of purple flowers

Bouncing in the sunlight


I saw tree-house sanctuaries

Homes for mystical faeries

And hollowed out logs

Comfy beds for spiders and frogs


Tonight, nature’s mockingbird will sing a lullaby

Tomorrow, the universe will hear no lie or alibi





Ivor Steven (c) October 2021