The World’s Fractured Mirror 

On Weekly Prompts, the Weekend Challenge is the word; BEND. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking on >> Here . The poem below does have the word ‘Bend’ in it, and that’ll be close enough for me …
Featured Image: Another marvelous photo by, Derrick Knight >> https://derrickjknight.com


The World’s Fractured Mirror 

 
 
At the close of day 

Sunset’s empty Amphitheatre  

Descends across a bend in the twilight zone 

And semidarkness 

Oppresses the horizon’s  

Endangered vanishing point 


What loiters beyond 

The skylines diminishing aurora? 

Will the night-fires of war 

Continue to be entrapped 

For ever and ever, inside 

The world’s fractured mirror 





Tullawalla is Available From

Jaymah Press:https://www.jaymahpress.com.au/

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com

Amazon: search via, ‘Tullawalla by Ivor Steven’


AND
Perceptions is Now Available via:

Jaymah Press: https://www.jaymahpress.com.au/

Lulu Books: https://www.lulu.com/shop/ivor-steven-and-derrick-knight/perceptions/hardcover/product-2pwqe4.html?q=Perceptions+by+Ivor+Steven&page=1&pageSize=4

OR: email me directly for a signed copy – ivorrs20@gmail.com

Ivor Steven (c) January 2023

Throwback Friday, White Pony, by Ivor Steven

The article I posted on “Go Dog Go Cafe” today >>
https://godoggocafe.com/2022/11/25/throwback-friday-white-pony-by-ivor-steven/

I’m very fond of this poem from October 2019, which appears in both of my books, “Tullawalla” (page 149), and “Perceptions” (page 1).
Featured Photo Above: taken by Derrick Knight >> https://derrickjknight.com/2019/10/13/the-halloween-template/




White Pony. (Tullawalla, page 149, and Perceptions, page 1)




If I were to be reincarnated

I am sure I would be a tall white pony

A flashy show jumping horse

Who knows his arduous course

Hurdling coloured bars

And clearing hard brush fences

A swimmer I have always been

So the perilous water hazard

Would be a simple breeze

A shadow passed over with ease

As my reflection in the pond

Magically vanished under my rider’s wand

Turning sharply on the pitch

Nearing the finishing stretch

I see more obstacles ahead

The doubles and triples, I dread

Without fear, forward I bound

Up over and gliding down

My red-haired rider, she’s blushing and proud

Hearing loud applause, we bow to the crowd





Tullawalla is Available From;

Jaymah Press:https://www.jaymahpress.com.au/

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com

Amazon: search via, ‘Tullawalla by Ivor Steven’


Perceptions: will be available soon, pre-order via …

Jaymah Press:https://www.jaymahpress.com.au/

Ivor Steven: email, ivorrs20@gmail.com




Ivor Steven (c) November 2022

Off-white

Featured Image Above: ‘Mushrooms’ taken by Derrick Knight, and thank you to Derrick for allowing me reproduce his photos here on my poetry site.
>> https://derrickjknight.com/2022/11/02/ibsley-ford/
Special Announcement: Today I have a “Copy” of “Our” new book Perceptions for me to proofread on the weekend


Off-white


White moon and white mushrooms

White doggie and white clouds

Here my writer’s world is a chromatic lamplight

After the passing of my gracious Aphrodite


Now I dream tonight

About the earth’s broken stalactites

And how the atmosphere is turning a sickly off-white

Like a grubby plastic skylight


Now with foresight

My tethered “Itmims” craft is ready and watertight

And awaits her saviours next spaceflight




“Itmims” Ivor’s Time Machine In Micro Space








Ivor Steven (c) November 2022

I Did Not Hear The Midday Chime

Featured Image Above: Photo by Derick Knight, and I have used the photo once before in another poem (>> https://ivors20.wordpress.com/2021/12/01/time-watches-over-us/) . Again, thank you to Derrick for allowing me to use his photos on my site.
>> https://derrickjknight.com/






I Did Not Hear The Midday Chime


I slyly look up

In silent amusement

At the old chiseled face

Of my grandfather clock

And I see his shaky hands of time

Are too meek and tired

To strike the midday chime


I slowly close my eyes

Overused muscles are cramping

Weakened bones feel brittle

This complicated mind is exhausted

And my dream needs to sleep

Before I am able to write another rhyme






Ivor Steven (c) October 2022

Horse Before the Cart 

At Weekly, the Wednesday Challenge is the word: TREES. Please go over and visit their fabulous by clicking on >> Here. My poem is not directly about trees, but I believe that in one way or another, life here on earth is connected to our “Trees”
Featured Photo: by Derrick Knight, and a sincere thank you to Derrick for permitting me to use his fabulous image here in collaboration with my poem. This is now our “41st” collaborative article, and our joint book “Perceptions” is now in the hands of my editor/publisher (Judy, from Jaymah Press), and hopefully, the book will be in print before Christmas. >> https://derrickjknight.com/

Horse Before the Cart 


Bitumen road 

Horse and cart 

Centuries apart 


Unopened loads 

Dreams of tomorrow 

Library books unborrowed 


 

Ancient ode

Horse before the cart 

Centuries before the Ark 






Ivor Steven (c) September 2022

Standing On Unstable Ground 

Featured Photo: by Derrick Knight, and a sincere thank you to Derrick for permitting me to use his fabulous image here in collaboration with my poem. This is now our “40th” collaborative article, and our joint book “Perceptions” is now in the hands of my editor/publisher (Judy, from Jaymah Press), and hopefully, the book will be in print before Christmas


Standing On Unstable Ground
 

 

Do not make me laugh 

The pain would cut me in half 

Instead

Pass me yesterday’s leftover chaff

Alas 

I cannot leave you an autograph 


I am a wounded grey donkey 

Standing on unstable ground 

Feeling disabled and lonely 

And my inner damage is yet to be found  






Ivor Steven © August 2022

A Soul’s Weary Retreat

Featured Image Above: ‘Peace Milestones’ by Derrick Knight, and thank you Derrick for kindly allowing me to reproduce your fabulous photos on my poetry site
>> https://derrickjknight.com/2022/07/29/no-more-than-a-truce/



A Soul’s Weary Retreat




Boulders did tumble

Across my gravelly path

Hard stones have bruised my feet


Decades of broken milestones

Did crumble

Into my lonesome creek


But my old waterlogged boots

Kept pounding the cobblestone streets

Defying the weariness of my soul’s retreat



Ivor Steven (c) August 2022

Urban Glare

The weekend challenge on Weekly Prompts is: Review. Please visit their fabulous site by clicking >> Here … Below is my response to their prompt, and you are quite welcome to ‘Read and Review’ my poem “Urban Glare”

Featured Image Above: by Derrick Knight >> https://derrickjknight.com/2022/04/28/across-the-stream/



Urban Glare





Down into the valley

I wander

Away from urban glare

Beyond reach

Of those who do not care

About nature’s faded flare


Along a cool creek

I wander

Away from urban air

Beyond sight

Of those arrogant stares

Who do not see nature’s plight






Ivor Steven (c) July 2022

There Will Be An Answer

The Featured Image above was taken by Derrick Knight, and when I viewed his heartwarming photo of the foal peacefully sleeping on the grass, my mind was immediately inspired to write words, and after numerous attempts to create something worthy of Derrick’s beautiful photo, I eventually produced this poem “There Will Be An Answer” … and my poem is to be read by pretending that you are the “foal’s” thoughts … You may visit Derrick’s article by clicking on this Link >>
https://derrickjknight.com/2022/06/20/shadows-and-reflections/


There Will Be An Answer


All the world is green

Within my midday dream

Please, do not disturb me

Let me sleep, let me be

Let it be, let it be


I do not comprehend

Your unnatural trends

Of killing your neighbours

After kicking in their sacred doors


Do not listen to me

Hear the breeze among the trees

There, under nature’s ancient marquee

She wisely decrees

Live in harmony like the bees

Co-existence is free

Let it be, let it be






Ivor Steven (c) June 2022

A World Of Puppets (a Tanka)

Featured Image Above: by Derrick Knight, who kindly allows me to reproduce his photos here on my poetry website …

A World Of Puppets (a Tanka)




Are we the puppets?

Punch and Judy’s without strings

Who’s contolling things?

As Putin’s a dummy too

Ask the children in Russia






Ivor Steven (c) February 2022