This week’s Wednesday Challenge, on Weekly Prompts is the word BEAUTIFUL. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking >> Here. Below is my beautiful response to the prompt…
A Beautiful Red Flower
Auburn was her hair
A ruby Day-lily
A red flame Begonia
Crimson and warm
Auburn was her hair
A scarlet Geranium
A maroon Bougainvillea
A soft vermilion art form
Ivor Steven (c) March 2021
I was catching a bus home this afternoon, as per normal, after my walk down Pakington St. However, mistakenly I caught the wrong bus !! I looked up, and I did not see the sign. In the long process of hopping on a couple of different buses, I eventually found my way home. During my time of the extra bus trips, I came up with the words of this poem.
Sorry! We Caught The Wrong Bus
Is this the air I breathe?
A misty haze out in front of me
Is this the sky I see?
A big smoggy Vee
High in the mountain plains, flowerless, without bees
Miles of burnt-out wasteland and no trees
Beyond the eroded soils, there’s the earth’s oceans
Mercury settled deep, with a topping of dead fish by the millions
Is this black bitumen I walk on?
Long oily tar rolled out by the ton
Is this real water I drink?
Manufactured I sip. On my knees I do sink!
Mother nature. “Please forgive us!”
We did not know. “Sorry! We caught the wrong bus.”
Today’s poem is in response to Weekly Prompts, and their Wednesday Challenge, which is: Bus Riding! Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking > Here.
Ivor Steven (c) December 2020
It’s Halloween and the Weekend Challenge from Weekly Prompts is; All Hallows Eve. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking >> Here . My poem here is one I wrote in July 2018, but I think it’s suitably scary enough for the Halloween weekend, and Amanda Palmer’s song is definitely a bit bloodthirsty, “A Warning to those who are a bit squeamish”.. The Featured Image Above, is a photo of the wall behind my office computer chair, and it will be the backdrop during my interview and readings, as part of the “Nightmare Whispers” anthologies launch promotions tomorrow morning… tune into the Nightmare Whispers “Party Room” at 11.00am to catch my time slot, via this link… > https://www.facebook.com/groups/676275079816445
Time’s Awry
Last night I awoke in a pool of blood
Surviving Noah’s great flood
There was no bleeding horse head
It wasn’t a dream, I wasn’t dead
The nightlight died instead
A dark shadow engulfed my bed
Sheets of oozy dripping threads
A deep flowing red
From where, I dread
Petrified, motionless I’m spread
The hole in my heart is dry
Fearful tears of crystal white I cry
My bloodshot eyes are weeping, time’s awry
Puddles of gore descend from the Boar’s sty
Visions of devils and angels pass my eyes
I’m not ready to say my goodbyes
Am I suddenly being nailed to the cross to die?
Or is it, that cupids’ arrow in my thigh
Ivor Steven (c) October 2020
Over on Weekly Prompts, the Wednesday Challenge is Button Jars. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking >> Here. And the poem below is my response to the prompt.
Ribbons and Buttons
Reclining in my verandah chair
I notice my blue shirt needs repair
And I search for her sewing box of needles and cotton
Looking for a few shiny buttons
There between memories of pink and white ribbons
In a basket full of trinkets, not to be forgotten
Here inside my private cube
I’m a cool Mr Fix-it dude
Or so I was secretly told
By a girl who came in from the cold
Her greeting did warm my soul
Me, a lonesome old stray
Smiled, and come what may
I proudly donned the blue shirt for today
Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2020
This Saturday the Weekend Challenge from ‘Weekly Prompts’ is The Face. Please go and visit their fabulous site by clicking >> https://weeklyprompts.com/2020/09/19/weekend-challenge-the-face/ .. And the below is my response to this weeks prompt.
Below the Surface
I’ve had thorns under my feet
And a rose between my teeth
I’m on a voyage to somewhere, and beyond
And the false façade goes on and on
Left follows right, one of us cannot be wrong
The Small Faces are singing the same old song
And the winter snake-skins have all gone
Lets face it, will I ever truly belong?
The mysterious journey never ends
Until that inevitable finale bend
George said it’s “A long and winding road”
And I’ll face life’s hard curves, unbowed
Above Artwork: By Kerri Costello, Graphic Design Artist, my beautiful niece/second cousin, who lives in Philadelphia, she’s so very talented, and a very special person in my life, thank you Kerri.
Ivor Steven (c) Sept 2020.
Over on Weekly Prompts the Weekend Challenge is Flower Power! Please go and visit their fabulous site by clicking >> Here . Today I’m presenting a poem of mine from a year ago, in response to the prompt…
A heartfelt thank you to ‘Fae Corps Publishing’ and ‘Pattimouse’, for publishing this special poem of mine today, a piece I wrote about “our” anniversary day… I truly appreciate your generosity and support,….. I’m feeling very special…..
Ivor Steven is many things. Poet, plumber, blogger… The list continues. Find him and his work at https://ivors20.wordpress.com/
Ivor Steven (c) August 2020
“How wonderful the colour yellow is. It stands for the sun!” – Vincent Van Gogh.
This weekend is the Monthly Colour Challenge for August, and the ‘Weekly Prompt’ team have chosen; Sunshine Yellow. Please go and visit their fabulous site by clicking > Here Below; is my response to the prompt, with attached photos and a Haiku
Yellow Light, a Haiku
Today the sky smiled
Above golden setting sun
And the moon did shine
Ivor Steven (c) August 2020
The Weekend Challenge on Weekly Prompts is, Scenic. Please go over and visit their fabulous site by clicking >> Here … Below is my photographic article in response to the prompt…
My Scenic Saturday
After writing my daily poem in the morning, I then pottered around in my courtyard garden, however my fingers were becoming frozen from the frosty dawn, and I decided to delay the potting, until after going out for my usual Saturday coffee and cafe visit, to the scenically rural Box Office Cafe. The above photos are from my lunchtime visit today. The winter sun was starting to warm me up, and on viewing my photos, you’ll understand, (maybe), why I frequent this quaint and rustic establishment….
It was definitely a lot warmer when I arrived home. Last week a friend of mine made me two wall hanging racks out old wooden pallets. I hung them up during the week, and today was my day to fill the two pallets with plants… The below photos, were taken after I finished the potting and planting…. and I’m very pleased with the gorgeous ”scenic” outlook of my small but vibrant courtyard…
Ivor Steven (c) June 2020
I posted this poem yesterday evening, I’m republishing today, without the ‘Links/Pingbacks’… and I’m adding another old ‘Bee Gees’ song “Words”, which seems to be appropriate for my poem here, which basically, is only ‘words’ from my pondering thoughts.
Our World, Air For Us All
What grows up
Eternally falls to ground
What’s absorbed in
Eventually seeps out
Did you hear the sound?
The world is round
But is the universe a square?
As we struggle to breathe in our share
Did you hear there’s enough air for us all?
So why cry before we’ve learnt how to crawl?
Ivor Steven (c) June 2020
On “Weekly Prompts” their weekend challenge is: Story. Please go and visit their fabulous site by clicking >>HERE…. And below I’m continuing my “Story” about my trip to Philadelphia in May last year, via a collection of my poems and haiku’s …
Wet Flowers of May
Philadelphia rain
Like a rattling freight train
Wet fat drops
That didn’t stop
Watering flowers on mother’s day
Sharing the liquid joy of May
Haiku: Family History
Boxes of photos
Memory lane in my hands
Decades of stories
The Golden Pot
I’ve travelled to the end
Of yesterday’s rainbow
I found the golden pot was full
Full of warm hearts
The pot of hearts was overflowing
With ladles full of kindness
And their kindness was a cascading
River of magical rainbows
Haiku: We Lost The Sea
Bridges of dreams crossed
The ocean and river spanned
Waters of love found
Ivor Steven (c) May 2019
