The Analogue Academy

Hello readers, today I’m presenting my first Haibun. The Haibun is a prosimetric literary form originating in Japan, combining prose and haiku. The range of haibun is broad and frequently includes autobiography, diary, essay, prose poem, short story and travel journal.

Yesterday I travelled by bus into the city centre, to visit the unique Analogue Academy, an art gallery, a creative arts school, including a coffee shop/bar, and a drop-off depot for photographers to have their films developed. Definitely a friendly venue for creative  people to meet, and enjoy the atmosphere of the rustic and comfortable surroundings. And of course Ivor had his usual coffee, cake and a few beers. The specific purpose of my outing was to view an exhibition of paintings by local artist, Jacklyn Foster, who is a fellow member of Geelong’s ‘Lowercase Poetry Group’. I found her display, “Replying To Spam Emails” to be imaginative and colourful, and I was very satisfied with myself that I had made the effort to attend the Analogue Academy.

 

Gallery

 

Uniquely homely

Creativity set free

Here’s Tullawalla**

 

** Tullawalla, and an aboriginal word meaning, ‘a place to sit and meet’

Below: A fabulous painting by Jacklyn Foster

Below: Jacklyn Foster’s paintings in the display area at Analogue Academy

 

Below: Photos of the Cafe area

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Jan 2020

Poppy-Kettle

This weekend the Word/Photo Challenge is ‘Unusual‘. And today I went down to the beautiful Geelong waterfront for a picnic lunch and a walk around the picturesque foreshore, and afterwards, sitting at the Valhalla Bar, sipping on a beer or two, I wrote this attached poem, about the ‘unusual’ Poppy-Kettle display  Please go and visit the “Weekly Prompt” by clicking >> HERE

Poppy-Kettle

 

My lost week has fallen into Sunday

And I’m going out to enjoy the clear sunshine

The Geelong skyline is finally smoke free

Our Corio Bay is unusually dead-calm

The water is like a glassy blue mirror

As I stroll along grassy banks of the foreshore

I rest myself upon a big quartz rock

Under the shade of a palm tree

 

A perfect locale to have my picnic lunch

Sitting next to an intriguing Poppy-Kettle display

Miniature bronze statues for everyone to see

A children’s mystical piece of fantasy land

Nearby there’s also a fairy tale’s giant green dragon

Dragons are a mythical favourite of mine

The area has an aura of a child’s magical kingdom

And my dreamy imagination grasps me to be almost there

 

 

 

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Jan 2020

Whispers

Featured Image Above: A painting by cousin, Brian Steven.

 

Whispers

 

I whisper softly

But my soul is softer

I’ve a heart that beats strongly

But my soul is stronger

I’ve a voice that sings deeply

But my soul is deeper

Whispers, my feathered quill

Softly writing, my soul’s free will

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2020

Sun Showers

Hello, you taste so sweet

These angelic drops of rain

Landing on my freckled cheeks

Refreshing my dry skin

 

Instead of yesterday’s

Annoying and staining spots

Full of dirt and smoke

Stinging my teary eyes

 

Finally today, a cooling breeze

Clearing our hazy sky

And here comes the sun

Minus her dusty halo of grey

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Jan 2020

 

Eerie Sky, Teasing Rain

The midweek word/photo challenge is; Family Albums. My article and poem isn’t really about a family album, but these are the photos I took today, depicting the eeriness of our smokey and rainy sky…. Please go and visit the Weekly Prompts site by clicking>> HERE

Above Feature Image: I’m standing in light rain, at the end of my lane, but the sky is still a smokey haze, which is very eerie…..

Left. The smokey sky and sun at end of my lane. Right. The thunderstorm this afternoon

Left. A smokey beach in the morning        Right. Looking straight at the sun on the beach

 

Eerie Sky, Teasing Rain

 

The eeriness is hard to explain

Our sky is smokey again

But here I stand in the rain

At the end of my dusty lane

 

Smelling the stench of our fiery haze

Now mixed with the aroma of wet maize

I’m stunned, and unearthly amazed

And Thor’s neon lights add to my daze

 

This summer storm is yet to fully expound

Tiny drops are struggling to cover the ground

The day’s hot, but our sun cannot be found

And this afternoon’s darkness leaves me spellbound

 

Footnote: As I’m about to post this article, we are having some heavy rain and there is more forecast for next Monday…. At last the sky is crying over the fires of South-Eastern Australia, hopefully enough to give our firefighters some much needed respite… Yeah.

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Jan 2020

Anthology: Faery Footprints

Faery Footprints 

A Multiple Author Anthology by Fae Corps Publishing 

 BY: Phillip Scott, Pallavi, Pali Raj, Nk, Nikki Marrone, Nicholas J Grinder, Molly Hogan, Megha Sood, Linda Crate, Ivor Steven, Gary S Rosin, Eugenia Hoffman, Dancing Heart Designs, Andrew McDowell, Cynthia Pilcher, Michael J, Walters, Deedra Nichole, Patricia Harris, Serena Mossgraves 

Poetry published in the anthology “Faery Footprints” by the Fae Corps Publishing

 

I’m very proud to see five of my poems, being published in the pages of the anthology curated by Patricia Harris and Cindy Pilcher of the Fae Corps Publishing Press.

Faery Footprints is an anthology of indie artists, poets, and authors meant to show off the talent inherent in the Indie Community.

For readers who would like purchase a copy, please click on link below …

– www.books2read.com/faeryfootprints

 

 

 

Smoke, And Happy Tears Today

Below, as per usual with my posts, I have an attached video/music for your enjoyment, however today this video is very special , and I would sincerely like to thank, Stephanie Stickel, for allowing me use this wonderful video, of her drawing, with the music of  Thomas Peter-Horas(Sarah), and played by Chen on piano .

Feature Image above: The photo I received today; my niece Kerri, and my grand-niece Kylie(My Philadelphia faeries), there smiles make me smile xx

Below Images: The smokey haze outside my front door today, 500 yards away at the end of my lane.

Smoke, And Happy Tears Today

 

Again, I’ve smokey tears in my eyes

But today they’re not, from those terrible fires

I’ve just received a photo, via magical digital wires

From the girl of my promised forever bond

And who lives on my soul’s golden pond

She’s knowingly smiling, at my heart’s open streams

Graciously enjoying all of life’s hard regimes

And handling her body’s constant extremes

Never does she falter, from her declared theme

“Don’t Let the World Bring You Down”

She’ll always be my jewel of renown

A ray of inspiring hope, in that distant sky

My dearest really real faery, flying so high

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Jan 2020