Tag: Peace

We Do Not Need Darker Skies




Wandering over shadowless ground

Did you notice too?

The clouds loomed darker this morning

And their bleakness was edging closer

Have they lost their way too?



Did you notice?

The birds sounded sadder this morning

They were not singing their awakening tunes

Actually! Where have all the birds gone

Have they fled from home too?






Ivor Steven (c) March 2022

Cosmic Eyes Are Watching

Look above the ugly pylons

Away from that slimy Russian python

Beyond those strangling power lines

There is a luminous cosmic sign

Piercing our dark thunderous skies

Wearing an ancient peacetime disguise

In a temple full of untainted eyes

Anticipating the worlds next golden sunrise






Ivor Steven (c) March 2022

The Children’s Empty Streets



Do they hear humanity’s fears?

Will that day come?

When all the big ears

Will listen as one


How many rivers of tears must we cry?

Before all our deepest wells run dry

How many innocent children must fall?

Before all the big ears hear their helpless calls


That wounded haunting drawl

The ghostly scrapping sound of homeless feet

Mournfully shuffling along their bombarded streets






Ivor Steven (c) March 2022

Innocent Millipedes




Please Mr Shootin’ Putin

Do not roll your tanks of destruction

Over the innocent Mr & Mrs Millipede

Millipedes were the earliest animals to breathe air

And make the move from water to land

They date back 428 million years

Now people of the world cannot hold back their tears


Did you know Mr Shootin’ Putin

That Millipedes are fairly timid critters

Docile decomposers that live in the leaf litter

Of forests all over the world!

They aren’t flashy or fast

And they follow the motto

“Slow and steady wins the race”

Millipedes are peaceful

They don’t bite

They can’t sting

And they don’t have pincers to fight back




Please Mr Shootin’ Putin

Do not roll your tanks of destruction

Over the innocence of creation






Ivor Steven (c) March 2022

The Gates of Hell Over Stolen Ground




Do you feel the weight?

Of radio-active clouds

Hanging over stolen ground

Do you hear the birds singing?

Gone!

Is that peaceful sound


Do you hear warning sirens howl?

Resonating like old war songs

When bombs are guided into sacred ground

Fires from hell destroying beds and towns

Gone!

As ashen children wander over burnt ground


Home is a communal air-raid shelter

Where families fearfully huddle together underground

Above!

The torn loyalties of alien soldiers

Tread lightly and warily upon broken ground






Ivor Steven (c) March 2022

On The Banks of Lake Connewarre




I am not here to wait

For the world to finally rotate

Time for me is getting late

I am here to watch the grand parade

Eventually pass by my front gate


One day soon

After the next purple moon

Illuminates our children’s fearful tears

I will see those grandiose leaders

Calmly sit down together

On the peaceful banks

Of Lake Connewarre*


Connewarre; an Aboriginal word meaning ‘black swan’







Ivor Steven (c) February 2022

A World Of Puppets (a Tanka)

Featured Image Above: by Derrick Knight, who kindly allows me to reproduce his photos here on my poetry website …

A World Of Puppets (a Tanka)




Are we the puppets?

Punch and Judy’s without strings

Who’s contolling things?

As Putin’s a dummy too

Ask the children in Russia






Ivor Steven (c) February 2022

Bloody Tears, Bloody History



Can you hear the ghosts of Sunday?

“Sunday, Bloody Sunday”


From your distant country’s

On the edge of peace and tranquility

Within your rural trees of serenity


Beyond invisible borders of rivalry

Between oblivious inequality

From the old schoolyard bully

Overseeing an avoidable atrocity


Again another “Sunday, Bloody Sunday”

How can they forget history so quickly?



The Final Sunset

I have a few thank you’s to accompay the writing of my piece “The Final Sunset”.

Firstly my opening stanza was written as a response to Susi’s inspiring post today, thank you Susi. https://iwriteher.com/2022/02/24/peace-please/ Thank you to David Redpath, for reminding me of Bob Dylan’s poignant protest song, “Masters Of War” , which I have attached below. https://highwaybloggery.com/2022/02/24/masters-of-war/ , and thank you to Derrick Knight for allowing me to use his stunning “Sunset” photo as my featured photo here on my site, https://derrickjknight.com/2022/02/24/the-assistant-photographer-saves-the-day/

The Final Sunset 
 
 
Wrong versus right 
War versus peace 
Greed versus commonsense 
Destruction versus harmony 
Killing versus living 
 
War is not the people’s choice 
 
Is this to be our final sunset 
Will she justifiably refuse  
To open her golden eye 
Upon another shattering dawn  
Of our manufactured doom






Ivor Steven (c) February 2022