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
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
“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
Home is in my mind
Home is nearby, and afar
Home’s a distant star
Ivor Steven (c) Nov 2020…
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
Moving On. A Senryu
I’m down here waiting
Is the miracle coming
Best be moving on
Ivor Steven (c) Feb 2020
