Time To Think

I’ve been thinking and reflecting on the subject of “time” quite a lot lately….. maybe I’ve been in a state convalescing for too long….. but today, after my exercise group this morning, I’m going to head off to the surf beach for a swim….. it’ll be my first dip 20 months…… Yeah !!….. Below is my poem I wrote back in March, when I was finally given the Doctor’s all-clear to go to America in April …..

Time To Think

 

I’m thinking of, time and space

Or am I thinking of, time in space

Time

a second

an hour

a light-year

Space

could be infinite

Or a void

inside your head

The head controls your body

To walk

in your space

Your space

where you belong

You belong

a part of the human race

Right or wrong

We live our life

on this place

From the moment we are born

Until the clock chimes

your time to die

Leaving a void of empty space

And we drop out of the race

Becoming a soul of eternal grace

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  March 2019

 

My Leftover Wine

Was yesterday a mistake

My son’s best friend died

So who am I to complain

About my leftover pain

 

Was yesterday a mistake

I took my body to work and I tired

I over-sweated and my muscles strained

Not long ago, my clients brother died

So who am I to complain

About my leftover pain

 

Today I’m going to give life another try

Even if these aches make me cry

My wife suffered and tried for thirty years

She would smile, never show me tears

So who am I to complain

About my leftover wine

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Dec 2019

Time Needs No Command

Hello dear readers, I’m re-posting this poem, as a slightly revised edition, with the last stanza having changed around…. I thought the original was a bit sloppy….

Time Needs No Command

 

The white moon has fallen late

The new daytime awaits

Rollover out of dream time

Rollover to the edge of time

Leave midnight’s caressing lullaby

And discover the blue curtain sky

 

It’s time to stretch and yawn

It’s time to feel the misty dawn

Stand in front of time’s open hands

Stand stoically upon time’s ancient land’s

The cloudy skies of daylight do fly

As moments of time flow swiftly by

Time moves on, needing no command

The sands of time, wait for no man

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Dec 2019

Ebb Tide

Gravitational tides flow in and ebb out

This current’s tidal strain was high

But tonight a full moon did glow

And finally the painful tide

Has begun to subside

Uncovering caressing sands

To slowly pass through my hands

And the harpoon behind my eye

Is no longer my nightly lullaby

Hard times flow in and ebb out

Now It’s time to swim free like a trout

Ivor Steven (c) Dec 2019

Plastic Man, Plastic People

My headache woke me early this morning, and I rolled over to look at my plastic clock, to see it was 4.00 am, so here I am typing away on my plastic keyboard, thinking about our synthetic world……

Plastic Man, Plastic People

 

There’s a plastic man in charge, of you

Politically, he twitter’s us the news

There was a racist called Hitler in 1942

And everyone thought he was crazy too

They didn’t take him seriously

Nor listen to his rants of jealousy

‘Til he pulled the pin, on humanity’s hand grenade

Pure white supremacy, his raving crusade

From his chants, “Pow”, World War II

And, “death to the Jews”

 

There’s a plastic man in charge, who’s rude

Financially he’s just a plastic money dude

Soon to be impeached for his glad-wrapped lies

We’re not to worry about his plastic eyes

That only see plastic smoke in the skies

Nor his yellow teeth that eat plastic mounds

Spitting out live human’s upon his plastic grounds

And the plastic people, still listen to his plastic sounds

 

And to think, Ray Davies of “The Kinks” wrote this wonderfully inventive song 50 years ago,  way back in 1969….

“Plastic Man”, lyrics by “The Kinks” (Ray Davies) 

“A man lives at the corner of the street,
And his neighbours think he’s helpful and he’s sweet,
‘Cause he never swears and he always shakes you by the hand,
But no one knows he really is a plastic man.He’s got plastic heart, plastic teeth and toes,
(Yeah, he’s plastic man)
He’s got plastic knees and a perfect plastic nose.
(Yeah, he’s plastic man)
He’s got plastic lips that hide his plastic teeth and gums,
And plastic legs that reach up to his plastic bum.
(Plastic bum)Plastic man got no brain,
Plastic man don’t feel no pain,
Plastic people look the same,
Yeah, yeah, yeah.Kick his shin or tread on his face,
Pull his nose all over the place,
He can’t disfigure, or disgrace,
Plastic man (plastic man).

He’s got plastic flowers growing up the walls,
He eats plastic food with a plastic knife and fork,
He likes plastic cups and saucers ’cause they never break,
And he likes to lick his gravy off a plastic plate.

Plastic man got no brain,
Plastic man don’t feel no pain,
Plastic people look the same,
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kick his shin or tread on his face,
Pull his nose all over the place,
He can’t disfigure, or disgrace,
Plastic man (plastic man).

He’s got a plastic wife who wears a plastic mac,
(Yeah, he’s plastic man)
And his children wanna be plastic like their dad,
(Yeah, he’s plastic man)
He’s got a phony smile that makes you think he understands,
But no one ever gets the truth from plastic man (plastic man)

Plastic man (plastic man).”

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Dec 2019

Now, It’s My Turn

Again, today I managed to go out to the ‘Box Office Cafe’, for a coffee and a cake, and I sat adjacent to a friendly couple, Glen & Alison, who were relatively new to the area and the Cafe. They were happy to have a chat, and we talked about musicians, poetry(Haiku’s), and the wondrous “Doctor Who”. Alison was thoroughly engrossed with reading my Haiku Collection, and my poetry booklet “Tullawalla, Waterlogged Boots”, and believe it or not, Glen was also an Industrial Chemist, yes sometimes, coincidental meetings are meant to be….. Anyhow I told them, I had this little idea about a Christmas card poem… I think their genuine friendliness encouraged me to write this poem, and I hope you all feel the warmth and power of Christmas, through my words here,… a piece from this heart of mine…….

Now, It’s My Turn

The first week of December

Decades ago, what did she say?

Today I’m struggling to remember

“Don’t forget Ivor ! ”

“Now, It’s your turn, to do the Christmas cards”

I’ve lost my crown, I’m almost home

This time the task will be hard

But last night I was dreaming

Of hereverlasting smile’

And how through all of her suffering

She was always a brave angel with style

So despite my persistent head pain

There’s really no other excuses

It’s time to be the mailman again

 

To read my poem ‘everlasting smile’, you may view by clicking >>Here

Ivor Steven (c) Dec 2019

I’m Flat, Feeling Very Medium

Hello dear readers, as you may know, I’ve been struggling with continual (non-stop) headaches for 6 weeks, and it’s time for me to take a break from blogging. I’ll probably keep posting a few poems, when I can, but I’m finding the present situation almost unbearable… Hopefully my absence from commenting on all your wonderful articles, will be only for a few weeks.

I’m Flat, Feeling Very Medium

Mid afternoon and I’m late

Time to go out, for a coffee break

I’m escaping my sheltering haven

Avoiding that all too familiar hospital cavern

 

I order my drink, and I receive a paper trail

But I’m feeling my headaches, are still on trial

As the coffee mirrors my state of being

“Steven. 1 x Flat White Medium”

 

Here I am eating a lamington sponge cake

Listening to a melancholy Tom Waits

And I’m thinking, when will these bad-ass days

Ever be surpassed by more dignified displays

Ivor Steven (c) Dec 2019

A Wizard’s Wand

Hands of steel

Fingers, sinews of silver

Tentacles long and strong

Like a wizard’s wand

Probing and prodding

Pushing down and across

Pressure on, then release

Finding that ouch zone

 

Climbing the spinal ladder

Disc’s four, three, two

Chin on the chest

Opening the neck gaps further

The gifted silver rod pokes hard

Pressing on the point

A sharp pain hits

Behind the left eye

 

The knifing ache eases off

There’s acknowledgement

That was the spot

Then a few neck twists

Strengthening stretches

A session finished

Feeling improvement

Return again, in a few days

 

Ivor Steven (c)

 

Faeries And Books

Faeries And Books

 

Australia is a far away land

Only reached by ship or plane

Today, I saw the Ben Franklin Bridge at my door

Distant fairies were knocking, a message for Ivor

From my Philadelphia cousins, Maureen and Terry

They went to a Pop-Up Shop, a writers library

To meet Christine, our chief of  ‘Go Dog Go Cafe’

Who signed a book for me, and a joint photo for my display

Cherished Thanksgiving gifts, to make my heart beat

Now I’m looking forward to my cousin delivering the treats

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Dec 2019

Thanks For Giving

Thanks for being there

Receiving my poems through the air

Thanks for reading my humble words

Understanding my journey with ‘our’ bluebird

 

Sometimes I am an introvert

But inwardly I am a flirt

 

Thanks for your comments, all so kind

Soothing my self-conscious mind

Thanks for appreciating the songs

Tunes from my soul, I’ll be playing lifelong

Thanks for the hugs and kisses

Caressing my heart with rivers of bliss

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Nov 2019