Tag: Photos

Pushcart Nomination, for my short poem, “The Sum is One”

I Write Her
Thank you to the editor of “Reflections & Revelations”, Susi Bocks, for nominating me …


Announcing The 2022 Pushcart Nominees!

PUBLISHED ON 

It was wonderful to immerse myself again and fully digest the thoughts of all the pieces selected for the second volume of poetry of The Short of It in order to determine which works were to be nominated for this honour.

I am very happy to announce the following poets’ pieces were submitted to the Pushcart Prize Committee. Those selected were nominated for their contributions to the Reflections & Revelations—a collection of the best featured in the online publication.

Phantasma by Candice Louisa Daquin 

remembering by Jane Ayres 

The Sum is One by Ivor Steven  

Old News Is Not Old News by Joni Caggiano  

Winter’s Beauty by Lorraine Lewis 

Anxiety by Radhika Puttige 




My Poem: The Sum is One

The Sum is One (a Oddquain)

One

Sky above

Five oceans bind us

The one air we breathe comes from

Trees








Ivor Steven (c) October 2023

The Moon’s Midnight Demise 





The Moon’s Midnight Demise 


The eclipsing clouds unfolded lengthwise 

Masking the chastised moon’s demise 

Falling, ostracized and downsized 

Out of the mesmerized midnight sky 

The fading moonlight capsized 

And sunk into my tired eyes 


Was I to be finally baptized 

Or lying there, tranquillized 

Waiting to be mechanized and dehumanized  








Tullawalla is Available From

Jaymah Press:https://www.jaymahpress.com.au/

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com

Amazon: search via, ‘Tullawalla by Ivor Steven’


AND
Perceptions is Now Available via:

Amazon: https://amzn.asia/d/4yFHWrT

Jaymah Press: https://www.jaymahpress.com.au/

Lulu Books: https://www.lulu.com/shop/ivor-steven-and-derrick-knight/perceptions/hardcover/product-2pwqe4.html?q=Perceptions+by+Ivor+Steven&page=1&pageSize=4

OR: email me directly for a signed copy – ivorrs20@gmail.com  


Ivor Steven (c) October 2023

Stony Clouds (a Haiku)

I have been busy today reloading my computer with my printers and scanner, then adding all the necessary apps that I use to organise to my poetry website …
Our spring weather was again atrocious today, but despite the appalling conditions we still managed to go out for our ‘walkies’ …
Images Below: in the right-hand photo, I am sure the big grey cloud was laughing at us, for being the only ones, crazy enough to brave nature’s fierce winds …





Stony Clouds (a Haiku)


The air turned stony

Gales tore in from the south pole

Grey veneered clouds laugh







Ivor Steven (c) October 2023

Throwback Friday, Untethered

Untethered

Today’s poem “Untethered”, is also an uncaptured piece that did not make the final list for the new book “Until Eyes Hear Sound”… hmmm … and I always like to get away in my “Itmims” spacecraft …

Untethered

With my back against the setting sun

I will fly toward a placid place, not yet overrun

Where the ground is not made of buried heads and limbs

I will untether my sturdy spacecraft Itmims*

And traverse the universe to discover a new world

Another planet of wonderment, yet unfurled

Where rivers and oceans are crystal clear

And unmasked, I can breathe the atmosphere

Where flowering plains are home to sacred trees

And native fauna roam wild and free


*Itmims, Ivor’s time machine in micro space







Coming Soon




Ivor Steven (c) October 2023

Oh, No!

Oh, No! … Here in Australia, yesterday’s referendum, to give our First Nation’s people a ‘Voice’ in parliament was rejected … I think it’s a sad outcome for Australia, and I am feeling the hurt that my Aboriginal friends are experiencing today.


Oh, No!


Why cannot I be right?

Why is my right so wrong?

Why are the wrongs so strong?

How has racism become right?


Why does our blight?

Remain deaf dumb and blind!

Without any foresight!






Ivor Steven (c) October 2023

Flying Bricks of War (again)

I am posting this poem “again” … there is War “again” … more innocent lives will be “Lost”
Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge is the word, Lost … please visit their fabulous site by clicking on >> Here

Featured Image Above: Gaza Strip border, Kibbutz Netiv Ha’Asara, Israel © Kai Wiendenhofer



Flying Bricks of War


There is a divisive brick wall

That stands harsh and tall

To stop people from breaking their fall


Then the leaders in ivory towers

Ceased talking about peace and flowers

And hurled bricks into that sandy strip

One brick after another brick

Flew from one side to the other

Smashing innocent children and mothers


Flying bricks crumbling into dust

Creating dirty clouds of mistrust


The walls of Babylon fell again

As brick upon brick crushed human brains


Brick upon brick filled the bloody drains

Brick upon brick killed and maimed







Ivor Steven (c) October 2023

Throwback Friday, Crooked Ways (Revision #2)

I originally wrote this poem in January 2019, here today I have revised the piece for a second time.




Crooked Ways (Revision #2)


I’m not to be told, how to live my life

It’s been over a decade since having lost my wife

I’m not a great philosopher

Nor a modern fashion writer

I’m not a sprightly young surfer

Never clever enough to be bursar

Too old to be a toiling plumber

And these days I prefer to pen poetry

Some say you are never too old

Whatever, I shall always be bold

With my plans to reach for the stars

And continue to travel my crooked ways






Ivor Steven (c) October 2023

A Wounded Identity Badge

Over at Weekly Prompts, the Wednesday Challenge is the word: Identity … To visit their fabulous site, please click on >> Here … My poem below is an appropriate and poignant response to the Prompt


A Wounded Identity Badge 


I am lying here on brown dirt 

My human blood is trickling

From a new open-cut wound

Into this ancient and sacred ground 


I have been shot!

Straight through my “Yes” vote badge 

By a white man’s racist outburst 

His rant was full of arrogance and hatred 


My badge is damaged but not destroyed 

My heart is bruised but not broken 

I will steadfastly, forever vote “Yes” 

Until eyes hear the sound of human decency   






Ivor Steven (c) October 2023