Tag: Philosophical

A Technical Knockout


Today’s poem is from a poetic response that I post about ‘Violet’s’ emotive poem >> https://violetslentz.home.blog/2025/05/27/pink-slip-2/

And over at Weekly Prompts, it’s the last weekend of the month and time for their One Day Prompt! To visit their fabulous site, please click on > Here




A Technical Knockout



When you’re down and out
feeling like a dry river-bed trout
flipping around after an endless drought
And you’re in the vacant corner of another losing bout
There’ll be one day, without doubt
you’ll have nothing left to shout about

Please, I beg, one last Guinness stout
before I get kicked in the spout
by Trump’s next lockout roundabout

After the ruthless rout,
when I blacked out
I was told by a local layabout
“there was no doubt,
the decision was a Technical Knockout”






Ivor Steven (c) June 2025

Nature’s Seeds

In response to Eugi’s Moonlighted Musings Prompt
>> https://amanpan.com/2025/05/27/moonwashed-weekly-prompt-may-27-2025/

a simple flower
summons smiles
calming of the day

Let one or more words in my poem be your inspiration.
Prompt contributions can be any variation of the prompt and/or image.


 Today’s short verse was originally written as a poetic comment to Sadje’s lovely poem >>  When leaves become words – Keep it alive 





Nature’s Seeds


May the world’s greed turn into earthly seeds 
Nature’s flower seeds, wheat seeds, and tree seeds 
And proceed to feed all those in need






Ivor Steven (c) May 2027

Throwback Friday, What Is Normal, My Son?

Today’s Throwback Friday Poem is from July 2020, during the middle of the ‘Covid Era’, but I think my words could now be applied to the ‘Trump Era’


What Is Normal, My Son?

Breakfast and a hot cuppa
Under my cosy verandah
As per normal, if it’s not too chilly
And I’m having my normal courtyard chat
With my friends, Phillip the penguin
And the wise old owl, Oscar
We’re talking about the future
Whether life will ever be normal again

Oscar quietly hoots
“What is normal, my son?”
Little Phillip chirped in
“Normal is a state of mind
A comfort zone in time
Like swimming in the deep blue sea every day.”
Oscar agreed with Phillip
“Normal’s been perched in the same tree every night.”
Oscar and Phillip grinned and nodded at each other
And I listened and pondered

Smiling at my two furry companions
I added, “Our old normal won’t be normal anymore.”
Oscar’s brows lowered, and he said
“As per normal these days
We shall patiently try to adapt, then wait and see
What colour will the new normal turn out to be
Black, white, or green like the trees
Maybe the striped yellow of our life-giving bees”





Ivor Steven (c) May 2025

Sunday Shroud


Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge is the word Obsession. To visit their fabulous site, please click on >> Here.
Some people say that I am obsessed with taking photos of the daytime moon … which is probably true, but in my poem today, I am using the ‘moon’ as a metaphor for ‘Easter Sunday’ …




Sunday Shroud

now you see me
now you don’t
I’m as pure as the driven snow
and I covertly nudge my way
through the cumulus clouds
looking for that opening in the sky
where I can display my Sunday Shroud
and dispel that dreaded prophecy
“He does not return”






.


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)



Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)



Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books


OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com


Ivor Steven © April 2025

Statuettes and Silhouettes

A Silhouette Quote: “The faceless silhouettes seemed to look at each other, as if wishing they could resolve the situation between themselves, without having to trouble their owners.”
― Hernan Diaz, Trust






Statuettes and Silhouettes


Without Indulging in the planet’s regrets
Or wearing any showy epaulets
Our golden sun peacefully sets

Meanwhile
From the shady balconies of the ruler’s minarets

When will our world’s shadowy statuettes
Leave the safety of their bassinets
And unite our twilight’s
Xenophobic silhouettes?






.


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)




Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)




Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books



OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com


Ivor Steven © April 2025

One Day, or: Bless My Soul


Today’s poem was my inspired poetic response to David’s “Sijo”, ‘Of all things, or: Bridge to nowhere’. >> https://skepticskaddish.com/2025/03/28/of-all-things-or-bridge-to-nowhere/
Over at Weekly Prompts, since it’s the last weekend of the month, “One Day” is again the monthly Prompt! To visit their fabulous site, please click on >> Here


One Day, or: Bless My Soul



Beneath our feet, there lies a common mound
Between our ears, the winds of time hear no sound
Below our eyes, the promised land cannot be found
Within our hearts, we share the lost and drowned

Beyond our souls, the world’s burial grounds
Belong to the hounds, who run the battlegrounds






Ivor Steven © March 2025

Awkwardness

Featured Image Above; Street art, Little Malop St, CBD, Geelong





Awkwardness

Within this world’s wilderness
Beyond my ongoing tiredness

I must confess 
My aging awkwardness 
It’s becoming more difficult to address 

Nonetheless 
Life’s progress 
It’s a challenging process 






Ivor Steven (c) March 2025

Flying Toward the Sun





Flying Toward the Sun

we all know
that the sun will shine
and that the birds will fly

we all know
why the full moon glows
and why the trees grow

but we do not know
who makes our world cry
or who chooses our time to die







.


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)




Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)



Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books


OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com




Ivor Steven (c) March 2025


Suicide






Suicide

there is a fine line
between pleasure and pain
there are bad moments
between life and death
there is black space
between here and the sun
there is night
when there is no light
and there is only dark
on the other side of the moon







.


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)




Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)





Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books




OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) March 2025

Behind the Mourning Clouds





Behind the Mourning Clouds


From behind the mourning clouds
The ancient moon peers down

Wearing a judge’s yellow crown
The moon knowingly frowns
Upon the maddening crowd

Congregating on opposite bluffs
Of the ever-widening Gulf
Between diamond cuffs and shoeshine buffs

The moon then proudly dons
The unworn sacred shroud
And judiciously ordains
“This is your final countdown”






Ivor Steven (c) February 2025