Tag: Poetry/Australia

Serenity’s Integrity

On the wings of a graceful albatross

My serenity sign’s nurturing calmness

Like a floating cork on the world’s oceans

Gently bobbling eternally and not sinking

 

Early today, Phillip the friendly penguin and I

Happily kissed our newly created piece of serenity goodbye

And after lunch, when enjoying a cuppa in my courtyard

Phillip excitedly chirped, “Look Richard!”

He’s leaping and smiling, “There on the verandah wall”

Surprisingly we hear a baby ‘serenity-sign’ call

“I’m your new picture of peace and tranquillity”

“A sample from your celestial star’s integrity”

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  August 2020

Serenity, a Sign of the Times

Our 2nd Lockdown/Isolation of 6 weeks started a few days ago, and I’m afraid my anxiety levels did soar…. but I had a little project to do for a friend’s new abode. To make a house name sign, called “Serenity”…. Anyhow when I started, I was feeling quite ordinary, physically weak and shaky, but as I progressed with the project, as the name suggests, ‘serenity’, with each passing day, I was gradually becoming more settled and calmer. this morning after applying the 5th coat of ‘sun yellow’ lettering onto the ‘deep ocean’ colour background, I was happily pleased with my finished piece of craftsmanship. The task was both, enjoyable and relaxing. Then I wrote this little serene poem…. Now I must say the “Serenity” name plaque does look handsome on my verandah wall !!

 

Serenity, a Sign of the Times

 

Serenity lives high in the trees

Swims freely in warm seas

Serenity glides on a soft breeze

Hovers among our gentle bees

 

Serenity’s now a forgotten rhyme

A fading sign of the times

Serenity now adorns my verandah wall

A gathering light, my evening shawl

 

 

Ivor Steven (c) August 2020.

We All Have a Tambourine

locked down and locked up

shut in and shut up

 

In this garbage virus bin

what is my holy sin

has Judas already been?

 

where am I going

with my green tambourine

and this broken violin

anyhow, who’s listening?

 

am I still dreaming

about being a human being?

 

about falling backwards

where the stars are flying outwards

with thoughts looking upwards

 

questions I bring

songs I sing

answers live within

 

every day there’s a new sunrise

every day there’s a new surprise

as I look at every day through fresh eyes

I don’t always see blue skies

I don’t always feel happy and wise

Today I’m a bronze statue in Levis’

And I’ll be satisfied with third prize

 

 

 

 

Ivor Steven (c) August 2020

A Blackbird Sings

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.

Standing Upright

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

Cake Crumbs and Coffee Stains

 

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

 

 

 

 

A Collection of Ponds Turns Into a Lake

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

From Little Things, Big Things Grow

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.

Pink Elephants and One Day to Go

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

Olsen Olsen by Sigur Ros (english translation)

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