Month: March 2022

Does history repeat itself?

Ian HunterLeave a comment

Wartime

A period of armed conflict

Peacetime

A period between wars

Warmongers in peacetime

Steadfastly build military strength

Peacelovers in peacetime

Reduce military spending

Warmongers in times of tension

Seek to divide potential adversaries

Peacelovers in times of tension

Try to cool things by diplomacy

Warmongers attack their neighbor

Crushing them with military superiority

Peacelovers condemn military attacks

Respond by imposing sanctions

Warmongers laugh at sanctions

While bombing their neighbor

Peacelovers support invaded country

Sending weapons and humanitarian aid

Warmongers cut supply lines

Siege and bomb neighbor into submission

Peacelovers watch from a distance

Condemning destruction and killing

Warmongers declare victory

Then threaten another neighbor

Peacelovers sign pact with latest threatened neighbor

Promising to defend them

Warmonger invades second neighbor

Ignoring threats from peacelovers

Peacelovers declare war

Take up arms and fight warmonger

1939 or 2022?

Take control of the morning

Ian Hunter2 Comments

I used to dread mornings

That sinking feeling upon waking

About all the things to be done that day

And the inevitable rush to get out of the house

Watching the clock go fast while scrambling to get ready

Grabbing a really fast and unsatisfying breakfast

Getting really frustrated during the busy commute

Arriving at work just on time but already exhausted

Then I started to take control of the mornings

The first step was planning ahead the night before

Laying out clothes to wear for the next day

Checking that important papers for tomorrow were in my bag

I made an effort to get up even earlier

Mornings started to go smoother

I had time to reflect and plan the day

Leaving home earlier made the commute less stressful

Next was adding more things into my mornings

A workout or a run before breakfast

Listening to a play on the radio while commuting

I still managed to get to work early

Taking control of my mornings

Sets me up to stay in control all day

Sure I still sometimes have anxious thoughts when waking

But by the time I have watched an early sunrise my outlook is always positive

You don’t know what you’ve got till its gone

Ian Hunter8 Comments

That song is stuck in my head right now

As I lay in bed on day three of having Covid symptoms

Yes I am fully vaccinated and boosted but I still got a breakthrough infection, presumably Omicron

So here are some of the things that are gone from my life right now

Fresh air… I am confined to the bedroom in a condo with no balcony access due to external renovation

People… my darling wife is caring for me but she has to stay in the spare room while I am infectious

Exercise…..I don’t have the energy to do anything right now, my bike is looking at me like a sad puppy

Good health….I am not expecting to die from this Covid infection, however, flu like symptoms are no fun to endure for three days (or more?)

Clarity….my brain is foggy and I get tired just thinking

Freedom…I am not a prisoner but I am confined to barracks for a while

I could list many more things that I miss right now but I wanted to reflect on some positives

I have had time alone to check in with myself

I made some commitments to change things about myself that need fixing, things I have been putting off for too long

I plan to reach out to some friends who I have not been in touch with for too long

The next time its safe to actually see friends, they are going to get extra strong hugs

Time for me to rest now, be safe out there all you cheeky monkeys

You don’t know what you’ve got till its gone…….

Remember that line please

Checkmate

Ian Hunter1 Comment

I woke up in a strange place

Not remembering how I got there

I had slept under a tree

At the edge a large forrest

I could see the sea in the distance

A path led down to the cliff tops

Instinctively I took the path

Two elderly men were playing chess at the cliff top

They had long beards and one had a toothless grin

A giant chess set with pieces two feet high

I stopped to watch the game

They took a long time between moves

Stepping between pieces and rubbing their beards

I could see a brilliant move to make

So I whispered it to the toothless guy

His grin got bigger when he made the move

The other guy was upset and knocked over his king

He rushed over towards me arms waving and screaming

He was angry that I helped the toothless man win

He knocked me to the ground

We wrestled as I struggled to get up

We were both rolling down towards the cliff edge

Spinning faster and faster as the sky and the ground swapped places

Suddenly we both tumbled over the cliff

Air rushing by as we sped down towards the rocky waves below

My whole life flashed before me

I braced myself for impact

A loud piercing noise filled my ears

I opened my eyes

My alarm was buzzing

It was time to wake up

I got dressed and headed into town

Going straight to the square with the giant chess set

The same two men from my dream were playing

The pieces were in the exact same places

I could see a certain checkmate in three moves

I decided not to help the toothless man win

When I take a breath

Ian Hunter1 Comment

When I take a breath

In moments of reflection

I do so consciously

Its my moment

When I take a breath

I am in control

I can hold on to it

Its my breath

When I take a breath

A full deep breath

I feel energy

Its my energy

When I take a breath

With deep focus

I can feel a heart beating

Its my heart beat

When I take a breath

I pause to give thanks

Trees made that oxygen

Its my oxygen

When I take a breath

I accept the gift of life

I am grateful

Its my life

When I take a breath

I feel something pure inside

To be shared

Its my love

I am drowning in waves of sadness

Ian Hunter4 Comments

I was born in Europe a few years after WW2

But I grew up learning all about it

My parents still had ration books to buy food

They told me stories of constant bombing

How entire families were wiped out

Being evacuated to live outside the city

Telling me about family members who lost their lives while serving our country

Grandparents telling me about the horrors of WW1

These were difficult things to comprehend as a young child

As I grew older I learned to understand European history

I witnessed how Europeans came together in unity after WW2

The European Union brought unity across different cultures

Nato formed alliances with one specific aim

To prevent any further wars in Europe

I grew up feeling safe and secure

Even through the cold war era

With nuclear missiles primed to fire from submarines at all times

Mutually assured destruction is a great deterrent

I was convinced I would never witness a major war in Europe in my lifetime

Today we see shocking images from Ukraine 

Innocent civilians fleeing their homeland in terror

Entire cities being destroyed in a mad land grab war

Proud Ukrainian people resisting the invading Russian army

This is not unlike the tales of WW2 that my family told me

But its being told in a totally different way

24/7 news on TV and social media is graphic and chilling

Emotions of anger and frustration flood over me

Mixed with guilt because I am safe being physically so far away from this conflict

Why is this all happening now and what can we do to stop it?

Unfortunately I have no answers

I am drowning in waves of sadness

The final final final final drink of the evening

Ian Hunter1 Comment

We checked into our Key West hotel

A cute Victorian building

Chickens in the front yard

Sloping floors and flaking paint

Overloaded with tchotchke

Hand written no smoking signs

If only those walls could speak

We sat on the small balcony drinking cocktails

Watching the people walking below

Casually dressed tourists clutching their adult beverages

People come here to party and it never stops

We decided to walk over to Duval street

Carrying our drinks like a badge of honor

We melted into the crowds

Most of the shops offering touristy memorabilia

Pausing to laugh at the rude T shirts slogans

An overweight drag queen beckoned us to watch a show

Loud music was billowing from the bar inside

We were far too sober for that type of entertainment

Golf carts full of drunks rolled along the street

They were all happy drunks

We found a nice place for dinner

Our table was on a second floor balcony

A fabulous meal was served

The drinks continued to flow 

It was after eleven when we finished eating

We ordered a final drink

The crowds below were thinning out

Stopping at Vinos wine bar for a final final drink

We reflected on a fun day and evening

Speculating on how much will will remember tomorrow

Before leaving we ordered a final final final drink

Eventually rolling into Mr Z’s late night pizza place

A greasy slice was soon nestling in our boozy stomachs 

Minutes later we were back at the hotel

Pouring a final final final final glass of whisky

We slept soundly that night

How do you like your water?

Ian HunterLeave a comment

rushing water

chilly iceberg

flushing toilet

spurting hose

hot shower

babbling brook

graceful waterfall

pounding rain

silent floodwater

still lake

hot tub

burst pipe

angry sea

powdery snow

water tank

raging stream 

muddy puddle

invisible vapor

full reservoir

black cloud

irrigation ditch

freezing rain

boiling kettle

soaking mist

clattering hailstones

ornamental fountain

still water

frozen lake

hot bath

chilly iceberg

horizontal rain

black ice

carbonated water

stagnant pond

water slide

damaging inundation

drinking fountain

deep river 

swimming pool

hissing steam

iced drink

Poetic burglary

Ian HunterLeave a comment

Early morning

Remote house

Door knock

No answer

Climb fence

Back door

Break window

Reach inside

Unlock door

Open drawers

Mostly junk

Go upstairs

Search bedrooms

Find jewelry

Fill bag

Discover cash

Fill pockets

Run downstairs

Hall table

Car keys

Enter garage

Start car

Open door

Drive off

Feeling smug

Check mirror

Nobody tailing

Engine dies

Car stops

Doors locked

Trapped inside

Bait car

Sirens wail

Soon surrounded

Handcuffs on

Behind bars

Freedom lost

Prison food

Inmates stench

Wake up

No bars

At home

Bad dream

Quit thieving

Start writing

Short stories

About thieving