My dream was falling backwards
The stars were flying outwards
My thoughts are looking upwards
As I hear the mourning blackbird
He’s singing about a deadly virus attack
And how we’re to overcome this unearthly hazard
“You’re to seek guidance from our masters
The solar rulers have witnessed your disasters”
The sun frowns, and sighs to the moon
We must save the earth from gloom
There’s no need for us to whisper
It’s time to dissolve the covid’s dirty blister
Ivor Steven (c) August 2020.
Hello dear readers, I’ve been writing this poem over the last three days, and I was struggling to obtained any rhythm between thoughts and words, and then I saw a wondrous photo on Derrick Knight’s blog/website this morning, (which is my ‘Featured Image’ above), and his photo of the glorious old oak tree, immediately channelled my thoughts, into that of strength and resilience, and from there, my Title was formed, and my words started to become a more cohesive piece of poetry…. Thank you Derrick, for allowing me to use this beautiful and impressive photo, with my humble little poem.
Standing Upright
My heart’s bruised from bygone blood-stones
Threaded together by the spirits of old bones
And they’re resting within my ageing body’s soft clay
But I’m leaking, soulful droplets on sunny days
The world’s foul winds are blowing me off my feet
When I’m wobbling down cold and dusty streets
Then a modern medicine-man came with his young tribe
Re-tuning my rusty pieces, with rhythmical vibes
And they declared my cello strings, to be plucky enough
To handle tomorrow’s mystery masks and travellers handcuffs
Ivor Steven (c) August 2020
Here I stand
On my land
I’m the man
With a grand plan
Aiming for a longer lifespan
Maybe I’ll out live Tarzan
Even the abominable snowman
I’ll hop on a TV van
Become an honest anchorman
With his winter tan
The escapee of a lifetime ban
And I’ll turn into superman
Ivor Steven (c) July 2020
Cake Crumbs and Coffee Stains
I’m at this cafe table, alone
My notebook page is blank
Except for cake crumbs and coffee stains
The cafe venue is not full
Because with the current laws, there’s a Quota
A maximum of only thirty people
I feel for the young owners
Trying to run a small business
Under these necessary restrictions
There’s the mandatory sign-in and hand sanitising
As the voracious covid’s dirty paws
Attack untethered and unannounced
Waiting your turn, is a normal process
Patrons have become more civil and patient
And unbothered I casually scribble these words
Between the cake crumbs and coffee stains
Ivor Steven (c) July 2020
Hello dear readers, yesterday I wrote this Haiku for Beth ( ididnthavemyglasseson.wordpress.com ) about ‘Ponds’….
“A dragonfly Pond
Mirror’s the hot summer sky
Natures gallery ” … and this morning (Sunday) I was reading the 8 Haiku’s I had written over the last 8 weeks, and in my mind they seemed to be following a theme… Then I decided to format them into one piece/poem… so here is my ‘Lake’ of words…..
A Collection of Ponds Turns Into a Lake
Peaceful is the dawn
Morning frost is hovering
Sunshine cuts the ice
A dragonfly Pond
Mirror’s the cold winter sky
Natures gallery
Soft winter sunshine
The sky’s raining blue diamonds
Warms my fragile heart
Are we hand in hand
With hearts joined, ready to start
A new wisdom age
Are we the drowned ones
Laying beside our beached whales
Unable to breathe
Cold steel’s not power
Love can’t be an iron fist
Hand in hand we breathe
Upon our torn earth
Lets sit around the camp fire
One circle of sand
On and on we go
We the mighty do venture
Above and beyond
Featured Image above; Taken by my Canadian Auntie, of the Barrier Lake in Alberta.
Ivor Steven (c) July 2020
Once I was a little fella, bursting at the seams
Who loved moonbeams and had big dreams
Years have gone by, now I watch and I listen
And sadly I feel our world’s listing
I’m an emotional old guy
And one day, I’m gonna die
.
Life has taught me to be patient
My story unfolds in poetic testaments
Words written, some happy, others blatant
Little things that grow by accident
Little rhymes, not asking for judgement
My little rhythmical notes, my instruments
Ivor Steven (c) July 2020.
Party, party week
Seven days of giving cheek
Eating and drinking like a hog
Sleeping like a frog on a log
But no leaping and dancing
Just happily dreaming and romancing
Friends to meet and greet
Places to go, coffee and sweets
Bones are sagging like old awnings
And I’m smiling at pink elephants in the mornings
There’s a finale fling tonight
Before a last lullaby under starry lights
Ivor Steven (c) July 2020
Two three cats ran,
which is the same as the cats,
two three can check,
where is the brother of one.
pushbutton board,
fruits of the boat,
ask him to eat,
tell her she does not want to.
cempedak fruit outside the fence,
take pole pitch,
I am a newbie,
if you cant show it
The featured image above, is a photo taken by Canadian uncle(Dick), who was from, High River, Alberta. and the photograph is of Maligne Lake, a lake in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. The lake is famed for the colour of its azure water, the surrounding peaks.
Peace and Serenity
There’s an old biplane sign-writing on a cloud
A red blue and white poster, big and loud
Capitol Hill has coldly declared, “Chaos”, in the sky
Copied by the media’s dirty claws gone awry
Our messy world’s living on unclean ground
Lock-down’s isolation the silent sound
Stay calm and relaxed behind our covering masks
And lets inhale peace and serenity as our objective task
Ivor Steven (c) July 2020
The midnight bell sweetly chimed
And I saw a bright silver moon
Soon dawn opened my sleepy eyes
And I saw a glowing golden sun
The old alarm did not ring
Arising early is no longer the thing
Today I’m another year older
Sixty-nine years upon my shoulders
Time has worn my aching back
And every ageing bone goes crack
But isn’t there a crack in everything
That’s how the new morning light gets in
Ivor Steven (c) July 20th 2020
Pocket Full Of Stars
I’ve been sleeping with memories
Here in my brother’s house
A home, away from home
I’m quietly laying here
In a warm cosy bed
Happily wiping away stars
From my night-time eyes
And up on the bedroom wall
There’s a picture of tranquillity
A painting familiar to me
Created by the hands of an angel
Pastel sky and a calm blue sea
Precisely how she viewed the world
A place of peace and serenity
I’m smiling under these loving tears
Knowing she’s within me every year.
Ivor Steven (c). July 2020
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 