I Dream On Snippets (Revised)

I’m Dream On Snippets

 

I’m living on snippets

A snip here, a scrap there

I don’t watch TV nor read newspapers

There’s no need to see more

False dreams don’t swim in my sea

And realities fill my soul with broken keys

I don’t watch many movies

I know their spirits are within me

And their ghosts live beyond what I see

 

I’m sipping on the holy grail

A thimble of wine

To a chalice of water

There’s no need to drink more

Rivers of tears have already flooded my heart

And yesterday’s rain drowned my soul

 

I’m eating snippets

A morsel here, a crumb from there

I don’t hunt for my groceries

There’s no need to eat more

Food mystically lands on my plate

Delivered by the angels who look after me

 

I’m breathing wisps of air

Gasping for my invisible share

Enough to activate my inner being

There’s no need to inhale more

The sky is infinite and free

And the trees air fills my lungs, regenerating me

 

 

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

Refresh

Haiku:  Refresh

 

unused day awakes

heavy head bathes in sunshine

soggy night, clear day

 

 

 

“Listen to the Hummingbird”, lyrics by Leonard Cohen

 Listen to the hummingbird
Whose wings you cannot see
Listen to the hummingbird
Don’t listen to me

Listen to the butterfly
Whose days but number three
Listen to the butterfly
Don’t listen to me

Listen to the mind of God
Which doesn’t need to be
Listen to the mind of God
Don’t listen to me

Listen to the hummingbird
Whose wings you cannot see
Listen to the hummingbird
Don’t listen to me

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Dec 2019

A Friend Calls

Ring, ring, and I answer

A familiar voice, “G’day old mate”

“What ya up to”

I answer, “I’ve nothin’ on this arvo”

The ‘best-man’ from my wedding, says

“Good, I’ll come and pick ya up”

“And the missus will make us lunch”

And he joyfully adds

“Then I’ll take you out to see the crew”

“Have a Christmas drink or two”

 

I’m thinking to myself

An unplanned surprise day

Are fun times and always turn-out the best

An afternoon with old pals

Cheery wishes before the Christmas break

Warm handshakes and hugs all round

A group of friendly smiles from years ago

Tall tales of the past, our highs and lows

“So this is Christmas”

 

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

Australian Reindeer

Australian Reindeer

 

I’m waiting in the queue

To buy my concession postage stamps

Finally, at the counter

I present my Australian Post Card

Yet another plastic piece to scan

“Sorry” said the the office clerk

“But you been archived”

My mind goes clunk

“What does that mean”

I said to the clerk

“But I’m here, mostly alive”

“You’ll have to call Australia Post”

Oh well, away I go, to phone-up

 

I’m waiting in the queue

On hold for twenty minutes

Finally, “hello sir, can I help you”

After giving him my personal details

I explain my situation

That the computer said

“I’ve been archived”

The operator said, “That’s strange. Please wait”

After a few minutes, he speaks

“Hello Ivor” (he knows my name!)

“It seems you’ve been deleted from the system”

Now, my old-timer’s brain

Grinds to a panic halt

Not only only have I been archived

But now I’m deleted

Am I digitally dead

Has my cyberspace cloud flown south

After a few minutes, the operator again speaks

“Don’t worry Ivor”

I swipe the robotic dribble from my chin

“If you use your same card number”

“And apply for for a renewal”

“You’ll be re-installed into our system”

Re-installed, that sounds positive

So off I trudge

Back to the Post Office

To fill in the application form

Here I am again

I’m waiting in the queue

So this is Christmas!

 

 

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 her ‘everlasting 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