This is Day 5 of the WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures Book Blog Tour:
Today’s presentation is by Michelle Ayon Navajas. It features Barbara Harris Leonhard reading her poem “Sleeping with Giants.”
Please click on the link below to read Michelle’s excellent article. I assure you that her informative post is well worth reading.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/PT5-SmallPleasures
Ivor Steven (c) April 2025
A special thank you to Robbie Cheadle of “Robbie’s Inspiration” for her majestic review of “our” book. Please refer to her complete article by clicking on this link >> https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/2025/01/24/robbies-inspiration-book-reviews-perceptions-by-ivor-stevens-and-derrick-knight-and-amanda-in-scotland-by-darlene-foster/?_gl=1*3amfe7*_gcl_au*Mzg4MTk1MzY0LjE3MzcwMjMwNTI.
Robbie’s Inspiration – Book reviews: Perceptions by Ivor Steven and Derrick Knight
This colourful and fascinating book is a collection of collaborative articles. The photographs were taken by Derrick Knight from the New Forest area of southern England, and associated ekphrastic poems were written by Ivor Steven from Geelong, the other side of the world, the southern end of Australia.
I am a fan of Ivor Steven’s poetry and also of Derrick Knight’s photography so this combined collection of poetry and photography is a real treat.
Ivor depicts everyday events and life through a lens of beautiful and uplifting words which is a marvelous talent. Derrick captures everyday life in an unusual and special way. I really enjoyed these combinations.
A few examples of the poetry with descriptions of the accompanying photographs:
Sunset couple on bench – a gorgeous photograph of the sun setting over water and flooding the world with golden light with a silhouette of a loving couple on a bench.
The words: A Rainbow Dance
“At the end of the rainbow
We shall dance and glow
On nature’s golden plateau”
Autumn woodland – a wonderful photograph of a wooded area during autumn which the trees are a variety of yellows, greens and auburns. There is a large bush, in shades of beige, in the forefront.
An extract from Connected:
“up there
under draconian dark clouds
I see a blue moon rising
gracefully shrouding the horizon”
Ferns and grasses – a glorious picture of ferns and grasses adorned in shades of green and yellow, dancing in the sunlight.
Extract from The Ancient Fern Survives:
“selfish, unopened minds remain numbed
False eyelashes are heavy and closed
Botoxed lips are silent and sealed
And elephant ears have been pegged out of sight”
This book is a special combination of visual and literary delights.
Purchase Perceptions on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1387487302
Purchase Perceptions on Lulu.com here: https://www.lulu.com/shop/ivor-steven-and-derrick-knight/perceptions/hardcover/product-2pwqe4.html?q=Perceptions&page=1&pageSize=4
Ivor Steven (c) January 2025
Here is a poem I wrote 2 years ago after Trumps devisive and undemoncratic tactics during his USA election campaign … but “today” for a different invasion of “injustice” my poem seems to be appropriate again ….
“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”
Nelson Mandela
“If you want to improve your quality of life and the quality of life for all women, never stop questioning society or calling for change.”
Justina De Pierris
Lost, Without a Compass
Ivor Steven (c) June 2022
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 