Throwback Friday, A Banner Of Sunflowers

I planted sunflower seeds in my courtyard garden this afternoon, which prompted me to post today’s Throwback Friday poem, “A Banner of Sunflowers”. The poem originally stems from a Geelong Writers Ekphrastic poetry workshop, in May 2022, and this was my poetic response to Shirley Drayton’s creative piece of textile artwork “Golden Sunflowers”.
Please Note: the poem also appears in my book “Until Eyes Hear Sound”, in Chapter 6, War! Without Peace? on page 86.



A Banner Of Sunflowers

look!
up there
above the War’s
darkest clouds
there is a blue banner
embroidered with sunflowers
swaying
through a hole
in the eastern sky

bearing a message
of ‘Hello’
or is it ‘Goodbye’?
a sweeping reminder
from our Ancestors
we feel your suffering and pain
from the merciless hard rain
blood-filled rivers and cratered plains
smoke-filled skylines and cracked windowpanes”

however, we also know
beyond the broken horizon
the sunflower plants of hope
will germinate again
and future seeds for peace
will regenerate a new campaign












All Books. Now Available At:

Creative Geelong MAY’D Shop,
Shop 15/Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
TRADING HOURS
Thursday-Saturday
11am-3pm


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)



Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)




Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books



OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) October 2024

The Intrusive Gale, is in this week’s Coffee House Writers Magazine edition.

Hello dear readers and followers, I am a writer for “Coffee House Writers magazine” (USA), on a fortnightly basis, and my poem “The Intrusive Gale”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. …
To Read my poem, please click on the link below to visit the articleat Coffee House Writers Magazine.
>> https://coffeehousewriters.com/the-intrusive-gale/










All Books. Now Available At:

Creative Geelong MAY’D Shop,
Shop 15/Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
TRADING HOURS
Thursday-Saturday
11am-3pm


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)


Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)




Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books



OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) September 2024

Throwback Friday, Whispering Flowers

It was “our”48th Anniversary on the 10th of September, and my Throwback poem was written when I was recovering from 2nd and 3rd strokes, and of course, during that time I was not allowed to drive …


Whispering Flowers (Tullawalla, page 41)




Whispering Flowers

I went shopping this morning
To buy her flowers
For our anniversary day
A bus trip to the local florist
Then I boarded another bus to the cemetery
My first time on a bus carrying flowers
Bouquet in hand, on I hopped
You could’ve heard a pin drop
Over the silence, I heard solemn whispers
The men on the bus, courteously nodded
And the ladies knowingly smiled
Gratified, I dipped my cap in acknowledgement
Then I started to sense the day’s emotions arise
And with my honesty glowing, I felt proudly special










All Books. Now Available At:

Creative Geelong MAY’D Shop,
Shop 15/Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
TRADING HOURS
Thursday-Saturday
11am-3pm



Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)



Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)



Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books



OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) September 2024

The Road East, is in this week’s Coffee House Writers Magazine edition.

Hello dear readers and followers, I am a writer for “Coffee House Writers magazine” (USA), on a fortnightly basis, and my poem “The Road East”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. …
To Read my poem, please click on the link below to visit the articleat Coffee House Writers Magazine.
>> https://coffeehousewriters.com/the-road-east/









All Books. Now Available At:

Creative Geelong MAY’D Shop,
Shop 15/Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
TRADING HOURS
Thursday-Saturday
11am-3pm



Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)



Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)



Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books



OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) September 2024

A Weighty Mission, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine.

Hello dear readers and followers, I am a writer for “Coffee House Writers magazine” (USA), on a fortnightly basis, and my poem “A Weighty Mission”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. …
To Read my poem, please click on the link below to visit the articleat Coffee House Writers Magazine.
>> https://coffeehousewriters.com/the-crows-weighty-mission/











All Books. Now Available At:

Creative Geelong MAY’D Shop,
Shop 15/Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
TRADING HOURS
Thursday-Saturday
11am-3pm


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)



Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)



Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books



OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) August 2024

I Couldn’t See the Moon, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine.


Hello dear readers and followers, I am a writer for “Coffee House Writers magazine” (USA), on a fortnightly basis, and my poem “I Couldn’t See the Moon”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. …
To Read my poem, please click on the link below to visit the articleat Coffee House Writers Magazine.
>> https://coffeehousewriters.com/i-couldnt-see-the-moon/













All Books. Now Available At:

Creative Geelong MAY’D Shop,
Shop 15/Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
TRADING HOURS
Thursday-Saturday
11am-3pm


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)


Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)


Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books


OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) August 2024

Throwback Friday, Invisible Miracles

Two weeks to go until the ‘launch party’ for my new book “Until Eyes Hear Sound”, and today’s Throwback Friday poem is in Chapter 7, (Memories and Rhymes) page 95, of the Book, and I wrote the poem in January 2021.






Invisible Miracles



I am neither black nor white
I am not day nor night
I am neither sand nor sea
I am not a flower or a bee
I am not wrong or right
I am not heavy or light


I am Clear and free
I am a cool ocean breeze
I am a song we breathe
I am the air from our trees
I am a star above your grave
I am a shy sound wave


I can be brave
I am your invisible slave












All Books. Now Available At:

Creative Geelong MAY’D Shop,
Shop 15/Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
TRADING HOURS
Thursday-Saturday
11am-3pm


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)


Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)


Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books


OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) July 2024

“A Dank and Foggy Morn”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine.

Hello dear readers and followers, I am a writer for “Coffee House Writers magazine” (USA), on a fortnightly basis, and my poem “A Dank and Foggy Morn”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. …
To Read my poem, please click on the link below to visit the articleat Coffee House Writers Magazine.
>> https://coffeehousewriters.com/a-dank-and-foggy-morn/






All Books. Now Available At:

Creative Geelong MAY’D Shop,
Shop 15/Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
TRADING HOURS
Thursday-Saturday
11am-3pm


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)


Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)


Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books


OR: >> You may email me direct for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) June 2024

That’s What Friends Are For, my second poem in the Anthology, “Cadence”

Today I am presenting the 2nd poem to be selected in “Prolific Pulse’s” fantastic Anthology, “Cadence”, That’s What Friends Are For
Thank you to the editors, Lisa and Zanate for their kind consideration.
>> https://www.prolificpulse.com/

Cadence Anthology, Amazon Link >>  Cadence: Life’s Poetic Rhythms – Anthology of Poetry: Tomey-Zonneveld, Lisa, Johns, Zaneta Varnado, Johns, Zaneta Varnado: 9781962374903: Amazon.com: Books






That’s What Friends Are For (Cadence Anthology, by Ivor Steven)




“Help!” yelled Billy the Bee
Who was stuck, knee-deep
In the storm’s fallen debris
“I’ll be there as quickly as
my body can shuffle along”
Said Charlie, the concerned caterpillar

“My tiny toes are trapped
and I cannot fly free” Burbled Billy
Charlie sways and cleverly uses his snout
To nudge the broken branches aside
And in a jiffy
Billy was able to wriggle free

A relieved Billy
Blessedly buzzed over Charlie
“Thank you kindly
for your gracious help
my dear friend”
“That’s what friends are for”
Cheered Charlie the caterpillar







Ivor Steven (c) June 2024

“And the Birds Warbled”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine.

Hello dear readers and followers, I am a writer for “Coffee House Writers magazine” (USA), on a fortnightly basis, and my poem “And the Birds Warbled”, is in this week’s edition of Coffee House Writers Magazine. …
To Read my poem, please click on the link below to visit the articleat Coffee House Writers Magazine.
>> https://coffeehousewriters.com/and-the-birds-warbled/






All Books. Now Available At:

Creative Geelong MAY’D Shop,
Shop 15/Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
TRADING HOURS
Thursday-Saturday
11am-3pm


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)


Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)


Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books


OR: >> You may email me direct for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) June 2024