When Do They Play

For all the wrongfully incarcerated children around the world, what sort of humans have we become to allow such heart-wrenching home-wreaking, that will undoubtably cause permanent damage to the innocent children. “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treat its children.” – Nelson Mandela.

When Do They Play

 

Our emotions are boiling on high

Lowly governments are hiding like spies

When do the children play

Where do their Moms and Dads stay

Why should we have to pray

This is not our humane way

Promised tomorrows should be theirs today

Please, when do the children play

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

 

When Do They Play

For all the wrongfully incarcerated children around the world, what sort of humans have we become to allow such heart-wrenching home-wreaking, that will undoubtably cause permanent damage to the innocent children.

When Do They Play

 

Our emotions are boiling on high

Lowly governments are hiding like spies

When do the children play

Where do their Moms and Dads stay

Why should we have to pray

This is not our humane way

Promised tomorrows should be theirs today

Please, when do the children play

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

 

The Ship Song

There’s not a lot more I can say about this classic song, “The Ship Song”, by Nick Cave, and a special video clip for you all to enjoy. The Ship Song Project – Sydney Opera House reinterprets Nick Cave’s iconic song. Performed by Neil Finn, Kev Carmody and The Australian Ballet, Sarah Blasko, John Bell, Angus and Julia Stone, Paul Kelly and Bangarra Dance Theatre, Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Opera Australia, Martha Wainwright, Katie Noonan and The Sydney Symphony, The Temper Trap, Daniel Johns and the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

Nick Cave –

The Ship Song lyrics

Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history, baby
Every time you come around

Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you come around

We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
But when I crawl into your arms
Everything comes tumbling down

Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history, baby
Every time you come around

Your face has fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly

Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history, baby
Every time you come around

Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you come around

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

We Are Not Worthy, Nor Grand

The Sandbox Writing Challenge 2018 — Exercise 23

26 TuesdayJun 2018

 

`
What message just for you
is hidden in this ancient writing?

We Are Not Worthy Nor Grand

 

The Time-travelers have been and gone

Transcending the stars and beyond

Leaving us the message carved in stone

Obvious warnings, pointing the bone

“You are not worthy, nor grand

to care for Mother Earth’s beautiful land”

Decrying our human-kinds faults

Locking our world’s children in vaults

Poisoning our plants, rivers, and seas

Contaminating the air we breathe

Burning our forests

Vehicle fumes

Nuclear bombs

Rulers greed

Before we even feed

Our fellow-man

Slaughter upon slaughter

Like we’re lambs

Guns and bullets

Millions for every bloody stand

Like dead seeds in our hands

Not giving life, only death and sand

We are not worthy, nor grand

It’s time, to make a stand

Who’s going to lead our band

 

“It’s Time”,  https://ivors20.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/its-time/

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

 

Tit Bits #12

The sun shone between me and oblivion

Blinding my way to the horizon

I let my fading moon call on Poseidon

We bravely fought our wars

Now I’m an old soldier out of uniform

Love has wounded and scarred me

I’ve no battle hat for my head

Only an empty camp bed

The nights are cold

I do turn bold

No caresses to hold

Nor unfold

There’s always something to find

Out there in nothing

Appearing to be nothing

Out there waiting to be found

I’ll keep dancing to the beat

Happy I’m still on my feet

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

Hot Like An Oven

Photo Challenge-Heat-Wave

This Weeks Photo Prompt is Heat-wave.

It was hard for me here in Geelong, we’re experiencing a winters cold spell and zero temperatures, so the closest I could get to a heat-wave was my stupid electric oven, with its faulty thermostat, and the oven just gets hotter and hotter, as the temperature setting doesn’t work at all, and everything in the oven gets burnt to a crisp, as the temperature keeps rising and rising !!

Below a hot heat-wave photo from years ago

All The World is Green

Here’s a great love song from the Master of Lyrics, Tom Waites. and a visually artistic video to enhance his glorious words

“All The World Is Green”

I fell into the ocean

When you became my wife

I risked it all against the sea

To have a better life

Marie you’re the wild blue sky

And men do foolish things

You turn kings into beggars

And beggars into kings

Pretend that you owe me nothing

And all the world is green

We can bring back the old days again

And all the world is green

The face forgives the mirror

The worm forgives the plow

The questions begs the answer

Can you forgive me somehow?

Maybe when our story’s over

We’ll go where it’s always spring

The band is playing our song again

And all the world is green

Pretend that you owe me nothing

And all the world is green

We can bring back the old days again

And all the world is green

The moon is yellow silver

Oh, the things that summer brings

It’s a love you’d kill for

And all the world is green

He is balancing a diamond

On a blade of grass

The dew will settle on our graves

When all the world is green

From <https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/tomwaits/alltheworldisgreen.html>

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

Memory Rain

I’ve made a few little changes to this poem, I originally posted August 24th 2017, I think my updated version added some softness to my poem.

 

Every time I opened our photo album

I saw her personal emblem

Every time I turned about-face

I felt pain and soft rain again

Every time I switched on the screen

I waited for a different dream

Every time I tried another channel

I cried during the battle

Every time I played another sad tune

I sang until the next full moon

Every time I walked out the back door

My head would be in the clouds

Every time I looked up to heaven

My angel stood waiting at the gate

I’d see the rain on her face

I’d feel the memory rain again.

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

 

 

 

To Be by Your Side

Nick Cave is one of my favourite singer/songwriters, and this beautiful love song is a wonderful piece, both musically and lyrically, and the flapping sound of birds wings in the background of this video adds to the aura of this glorious song

I’m having another day of magical reflection

My mirror’s silver backing is singing to me

Caressing my heart

Soothing my soul

 

To Be by Your Side

Nick Cave, Bruno Coulais

Across the oceans across the seas,
Over forests of blackened trees.
Through valleys so still we dare not breathe,
To be by your side.

Over the shifting desert plains,
Across mountains all in flames.
Through howling winds and driving rains,
To be by your side.

Every mile and every year,
For everyone a little tear.
I cannot explain this, dear,
I will not even try.

Into the night as the stars collide,
Across the borders that divide
Forests of stone standing petrified,
To be by your side.

Every mile and every year,
For every one a single tear,
I cannot explain this, dear,
I will not even try.

For I know one thing,
Love comes on a wing,
For tonight I will be by your side,
But tomorrow I will fly.

From the deepest ocean to the highest peak,
Through the frontiers of your sleep.
Into the valley where we dare not speak,
To be by your side.
Across the endless wilderness,
Where all the beasts bow down their heads.
Darling, I will never rest
Till I am by your side.

Every mile and every year,
Time and distance disappear
I cannot explain this, dear no,
I will not even try.

And I know just one thing,
Love comes on a wing
And tonight I will be by your side.
But tomorrow I will fly away,
Love rises with the day
And tonight I may be by your side.
But tomorrow I will fly, tomorrow I will fly,
Tomorrow I will fly.

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

Come Healing

The lyrics of this song “Come Healing” are so beautifully poignant for all of us who are in the process of healing, and attached here my poem Mango Smoothie, was also about healing.                      https://ivors20.wordpress.com/2018/03/12/mango-smoothie/

Leonard Cohen

O gather up the brokenness
And bring it to me now
The fragrance of those promises
You never dared to vow

The splinters that you carry
The cross you left behind
Come healing of the body
Come healing of the mind

And let the heavens hear it
The penitential hymn
Come healing of the spirit
Come healing of the limb

Behold the gates of mercy
In arbitrary space
And none of us deserving
The cruelty or the grace

O solitude of longing
Where love has been confined
Come healing of the body
Come healing of the mind

O see the darkness yielding
That tore the light apart
Come healing of the reason
Come healing of the heart

O troubled dust concealing
An undivided love
The heart beneath is teaching
To the broken heart above

Let the heavens falter
Let the earth proclaim
Come healing of the altar
Come healing of the name

O longing of the branches
To lift the little bud
O longing of the arteries
To purify the blood

And let the heavens hear it
The penitential hymn
Come healing of the spirit
Come healing of the limb

O let the heavens hear it
The penitential hymn
Come healing of the spirit
Come healing of the limb

My finale stanza from my poem “Mango Smoothie”, the words are all part of my healing process, and I’m now feeling quite comfortable within myself on these days of reflection.

I’m a healer who’s lost

Gravitated by her sorrow

How do I catch a falling arrow

And mend her broken cross

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018