Category: Senryu

The Path (a Senryu)

Featured Image Above: A photo by Derrick Knight, and a sincere thank you to Derrick for allowing me to use his wonderful photos along my poems. You can visit his site via this link >> https://derrickjknight.com/2021/09/05/greener-graveyard-grass/



The Path (a Senryu)


His tired empty heart

Travels a lonely path 

In a dusty cart





Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2021

Warrior (a Senryu)

My ‘Senryu’ today was written as a response/comment, to Donna’s poem she posted this morning. Her emotional words touched me deeply ..
>> Not A Love Poem | DJ Ranch


Warrior


a warrior girl

gives her life another twirl

survives in her world



Here is Glen Hansard’s song “Don’t Settle”, that I selected to match the emotions behind my ‘Senryu’, sing along with his superb lyrics below




Ivor Steven (c) June 2021


Glen Hansard Lyrics 

“Don’t Settle” 
 
 

When you climbed the hill of vision 
As above so it was below 
Through the apathy and derision 
Each step ascending you took alone 
And when they pin you in the corner 
Pay no heed to their droning on 
‘Cause you’re not going back where you don’t belong 
 
Well you rose up through the ranks now 
And you worked hard for your luck 
You’ve only got yourself to thank now 
You and everybody else in the book 
And there are hidden hands to guide you 
Other forces now at play 
But you’ve got to learn to get out of their way 
 
Oh, don’t settle 
Oh, not yet 
Oh, don’t settle 
For less 
 
May your song ring true and bright now 
And be honed by your own hand 
As the day gives way to night now 
May it echo through the land 
And when they turn your words against you 
Try to grind you to the ground 
Let them know that they might beat you 
But they’ll never turn you round 
 
Oh, don’t settle 
Oh, not yet 
Oh, don’t settle 
For less 
 
Well you sought no one’s allegiance 
You were cowed by no one’s hand 
You outgrew your antecedents 
Worked your own corner of the land 
And when they set their sights upon you 
Come to mine the seam you struck 
May you bid them well and wish them luck 
 
Oh, don’t settle 
Oh, not yet 
Oh, don’t settle 
And don’t forget what Liam Clancy said 
 
No envy, no anger, no cruelty, no regrets 
No jealousy, no rancour, no confusion; don’t forget 
No enemy, no anger, no incredulity; show respect 
No envy, no anger, no judgement on no one; lest you forget 
Lest you forget what they did to you 
Come on, rise off your knees, you’re not beaten yet 
No envy, no anger, no judgement on no one; lest you forget 
 
And you’re not going back where you don’t fit 

Lost Nights

Here on my “Go Dog Go Go Cafe” site, Devereaux Frazier and Beth Amanda are currently hosting the Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge. Today’s prompt: Use the words “dangerous thoughts” in a piece of poetry or prose.

I read about the prompt before I went to bed last night, and during the night I had a little dream/nightmare, and at 3.00am I wrote this ‘Senryu’….. hmmm……maybe I shouldn’t read these prompts just before I go to sleep….

 

Lost Nights

 

My dangerous thoughts

Remain locked away in dreams

No more liaisons

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  Feb 2020