Author: Ian Hunter

I retired from the energy business in 2014 and started writing poetry. At first I shared my writing with family and friends. Then I set myself a challenge to write a poem every day for a year. After meeting that goal I just kept going and started this blog in 2021. I hope you enjoy reading my poems. Remember happiness is just a state of mind and poetry is great nourishment.

Iceland in October

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Most people head for the sun on vacation

Selecting a time and place when good weather is guaranteed

Relaxing on a beach or by a pool

Taking long walks on warm dry trails

Selecting a time and place when good weather is guaranteed

So why choose Iceland in October

Its known to be one of their wettest months of the year

It rains almost every day 

Temperatures are on the cool side 0°C to 7°C (32°F to 45°F)

Its often very cloudy and impossible to see the northern lights

The weather is not a problem if you dress for it

Layer up for warmth with a a good waterproof outer layer and sturdy footwear

You will stay warm and dry even in horizontal driving rain

The scenery is truly spectacular 

Iceland’s lagoons are toasty warm all year round

The local people are equally warm and friendly

Icelandic food is delicious 

So don’t let the weather put you off

Put Iceland on your bucket list now

Even in October

Stewed prunes and angry volcanos

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Iceland had been on James’ bucket list for a long time

This was going to be a rapid two night stopover en route to Europe

He carefully researched the best things to cram into such a short visit

The northern lights was his greatest wish but their appearance is always at the mercy of the weather

Friends told him he must try a soak in a warm lagoon.

Heated by natural springs these have become popular tourist attractions with adjoining bars and restaurants

He reserved a slot later on the day of his arrival

Hoping he could stay awake long enough to enjoy

For his second day he opted for a guided tour of the island with brief stops at many natural wonders

He wanted to see some volcano action

Not a huge eruption but a good dose of hot flowing lava and billowing steam

He boarded the plane to Iceland and quickly dozed off after dinner

Dreaming about floating in a warm lagoon

Surrounded by drunken tourists going back and forth for repeated vodka shots at the swim up bar

They were all like overcooked drunk prunes

Marveling at the spectacular scenery while desperately trying to keep their cell phones above the water line

He could smell the acrid sulphur from the natural spring water

Suddenly the volcano erupted in the distance

Tourists cheered and stayed in the lagoon to take volcano backdrop selfies

The bar started selling volcano cocktails

It was one big smelly party

People we stumbling and dropping phones into the water

An alarm sounded signaling the need to evacuate from the volcano ash rain

The tourists reluctantly dragged their prune bodies out of the water

Some were still doing shots in the changing room

The first ash rain fell from the sky

Pelting the structure with hot smoking rocks like mortar shells

It was not safe to go outside

They huddled in the building and prayed the bombardment would soon end

More rocks smashed into the roof and it started to collapse

James was convinced he was facing certain death then there was a big bang

His whole body shook and he woke up expecting to be injured only to discover his plane had just touched down on the runway

Thankfully that was just a dream he reassured himself

He switched on his phone as the plane taxied to the terminal at Keflavik airport

Iceland volcano erupting was the news headline….

James and the mystery car

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James needed a one way rental car reservation

He stumbled upon a great half price offer 

From an internationally known rental company

It was described as a mystery car

Basically whatever they have left over

He did not need a big car

He was not worried if it was going to be tiny

As long as it was functional

He did all the pre-checkin on line

So it would be just grab n go at the pickup

There was no line but the lady at the desk looked miserable

She grunted license and credit card

A few moments later handing James the keys

Its on the side by the wall

She then answered a phone call with similar grunts

James went to find the car

He spotted it and opened the door

Not having driven a Hyundai before

Searching in the glove box for a manual

No manual or any kind of instructions

He hit the start button and the dash lit up

UNPLUG CAR TO START ENGINE

He got out and walked around the car

Sure enough it was plugged into the wall

He had no idea this was an electric car

No time to waste on learning how to charge it

James went back to the office 

He asked if he could exchange it for a regular car

Its what you reserved she grunted

There is a $50 to cancel

After a few minutes of haggling he concluded he was stuck with it

Requesting that somebody show him how to operate it

I’ll send somebody out she grunted

James waited by the vehicle

Hoping for a more helpful employee to show up

A young man approached in silence 

He opened the trunk and unplugged the cable

Throwing it into the trunk and announcing

You are good to go now as he walked away

James fiddled with the controls

Drove around the parking lot a few times

Pausing to check the charging level

It was only 50% and the range was close to his journey distance

He would have to top it up before drop-off

Searching on line for the nearest charging station

He was soon pulling up to a vacant Tesla supercharger station

This is easy he thought to himself

I must be super smart to figure this out so quickly

Feeling super smug as he went to plug it in

The plug did not match the car

Another rapid google search revealed

2024 Hyundai cannot be plugged into Tesla superchargers

Unless your purchase a $300 adaptor

He had to think quickly and decided to use the cable that came with the car

Driving around the back of the gas station

He found an outlet on the wall

Quickly plugging it in and feeling smug again

The dashboard confirmed it was charging

But it would need 34 hours to get to 100%

Obviously this was not the solution

James gave up on trying to charge the vehicle

Driving super smoothly on ECO drive mode

He nervously watched the charge level drop down

Warning lights started to flash in the last 50 miles

The charge level was in single digits when he dropped off the car

He arrived in a cold sweat

He handed in the keys to a smiling lady at the counter

Everything work out OK? She enquired

Not really said James I am new to electric cars

She smiled wider There will be a $70 charge for returning the vehicle under 10% charge

James just shrugged in disbelief

He could not think of a worse business model

Trick your customers into renting a spaceship

Leaving them alone to figure it out and then surcharging at drop off

No more Mystery cars for James

Monday is special

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Ugh that Monday morning feeling

Back to work blues

The weekend is officially over

Five more days until next weekend

A tempting day to call in sick

It seems to rain more often on Mondays

Dropped toast falls butter side down on Mondays

Your bus is running late

The day seems to go slower

Everybody you meet at work is depressed

You try to lift their spirits

Recounting your fun filled action packed weekend

They get more depressed and hate you

Now you are depressed too

Finally the day is over

Your commute home is long and weary

Too fatigued to go shopping

The fridge is always empty on a Monday

Frozen food takes forever to defrost on Mondays

No other option but to order pizza for delivery

The laundry basket overflows

The lawn is growing out of control

Your car badly needs cleaning

The trash can is overflowing

Your bank balance has taken a dive

Most bills arrive on Modays

You reach for a beer but your stock ran out

The pizza delivery is well overdue

TV is always boring on a Monday

Except if you are a fan of Monday night football

Your pizza is delivered by an acne faced youth

You give him a tip and race inside

He seemed far too young to be riding that motorcycle

Its a cold soggy greasy mess of a pizza

You can hear his motorcycle roaring off

You regret tipping him

You decide to warm up the pizza

It comes out of the oven even more soggy

Time to do some overdue chores

You eat it anyway while watching your team get beat on TV

Haul a weekend’s worth of dishes out of the sink

Wash them badly and stack them

Tip the laundry basket into the washing machine

Turn it on and ignore its groans

Nothing left but to have an early night

Impossible to squeeze any more toothpaste out of that empty tube

You fall into bed exhausted

Sleeping is your final escape from Monday

The alarm clock wakes you up

At least its Tuesday you tell yourself

But horror of horrors it is Monday

That was all a Sunday night dream

Life is a journey

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It starts off with somebody caring for you

Providing your basic needs of shelter and food

Hopefully loving you and teaching you how to love others

You acquire skills through learning

You grow both physically and emotionally

Leaving the nest to venture out into the big wide world

There are many paths to follow

Lots of forks in the road

People pulling and pushing you in all directions

Its hard to know which is the right path to take

Sometimes you take the wrong one in error and face up to danger or bad stuff

You have to turn back and find another path

Follow your heart and your instincts

Having a soulmate can help guide you along

You can motivate each other and give support when needed

If you are blessed with having children, the journey gets tougher

Having to care for them while following your own path takes a lot of energy

You try and pass on to them what you learned on your own journey

Giving them better opportunities than you had growing up

Eventually your children leave your nest to find their own paths

You can only offer them love, guidance and support

Hoping they will find the right path for themselves

As empty nesters you start to discover more unchartered paths

Ones that you had no time to explore during your parenting days

You might take vacations with other empty nesters

Exploring places at a different pace

Seeing things in a different way

Appreciating the true beauty of nature

Hopefully finding long lasting love with your soulmate

Acknowledging that you will have less options on the number of paths to take as you age further

Perhaps you will be on a path that helps you understand the true meaning of life

This will be a time for you to find inner peace and be at one with yourself and the universe

Eventually you will be on a path that will end your journey

With good fortune, you will have some time to pause and look back to say

That was one hell of a ride!

Owls hooting

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The soft rustling of leaves was interrupted by the sound of owls hooting deep into the woods on a moonlight night

Their calls created a mysterious symphony as they echoed through the trees

lone traveler paused to listen as he made his way along a narrow path

The hoots seemed to come from all directions

The owls were communicating secrets only they understood

The calls grew louder and more insistent as he ventured further

The traveler was unsure if the owls were guiding him or warning him

His heart raced as he pushed on towards the almost constant hooting

The woods felt alive as their shadows danced under the pale moonlight

Suddenly he spotted the flicker of wings

An owl perched on a high branch was watching him

Its eyes glowed with an ancient wisdom

Feeling he was not alone but in the presence of something far older than the trees themselves

One final hoot before the owl flew off into the night

The traveler was left standing alone in the quiet woods with the echoes of their distant calls lingering in the cool air

He was no longer concerned or confused

His slowing heartbeat signaling that he was finally at peace

It was a feeling he had relentlessly searched for all his life

He left the woods determined to spread that peace to all he met for the rest of his days

Abi and friends make rain memories

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The day began with a heavy gray sky promising rain that would nourish the earth

The first droplets tapped gently on the window playing a soft symphony of nature

Abi pressed her face against the glass as she was eager to feel the cool drops on her skin

She was a curious little girl who loved to play and explore

She ran outside embracing the refreshing shower that kissed her cheeks

The scent of wet earth filled the air in an aromatic signal of awakening life

Puddles in the street formed mirrors reflecting the world above

Abi studied the images before splashing through them

Her laughter mingling with the sound of falling rain as she shattered the wet images

A group of children spotted Abi and quickly joined in

Their joyful shouts echoing through the neighborhood

They raced each other as they splashed in every puddle along the way

Each splash sent water flying in the air like tiny sparkling diamonds

The rain joined in the outdoor revelry and danced around them

A nearby old oak tree stood tall with its leaves rustling softly in the breeze

Abi ran to its sturdy trunk seeking shelter for a moment to catch her breath

She watched as the rain created a curtain of droplets at the edge of the canopy

A ladybug landed on her finger seeking refuge from the storm

Abi smiled as she marveled at its tiny red shell

Heavy rain was drumming against the roof of the old barn nearby 

She and her friends scurried inside to escape form the downpour

They were all laughing and shaking off the water like wet puppies

The barn was a treasure trove of forgotten memories and dusty hay

They built a fort out of bales as they settled in for a rain-soaked adventure

The storm raged on but they felt safe and warm inside

They played games and told stories of magical creatures that danced in the rain

The energy of the storm fed their imaginations and the tales got wilder

Eventually the rain began to lighten into a gentle patter

The sun peeked through the clouds casting a golden glow

They ventured outside once more to be greeted by vibrant rainbows arching across the sky

They splashed through puddles while squealing with delight

Abi twirled under the sky embracing the magic that had unfolded

The rain had brought them together to create a day filled with laughter and joy

The setting sun made everything glisten to heighten their awareness of the moment

They knew the memory of today would stay with them forever

Chess morphed into football

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As a young boy I spent almost every waking moment playing football

That is real football AKA soccer

In the beginning it was a purely physical game

If I had the ball I ran fast towards the goal

Once the goal was in sight I kicked it hard goalward 

If I was very lucky I scored

If somebody else had the ball I ran towards them fast

As I got close I tried to kick the ball away from them

Often I missed and kicked the other player or they got away from me

I did not score many coals back then

Almost everybody in both teams played exactly the same way

Nobody played in a set position except the goalkeepers

The remaining 20 kids on the field all chased the ball together in a huge huddle

Our team coach spent a lot of time teaching us the right way

We were all given a set position and drilled to stay in that zone

I was a central defender and it suited me well

My job was to guard the middle of the defense and stop the opposing team progressing 

Once I got possession I had to pass to one of our team upfield

Our team became more skilled in moving our players into open positions

I was a good central defender and hoped to become a professional

At the age of 8 I was taught to play chess at school

With 16 pieces on my side I had to out maneuver my opponent

I could put those players in any position I wanted

I could attack or defend depending on the situation

I became the team coach for my 16 players

Of course there is no physical side to chess 

Its a game of strategy, tactics and forward thinking

I became a very successful chess player in my youth

My chess training also helped me become a better football player

I never achieved my dream of being a professional footballer

Hanging up my boots when I was 18

I never became a chess grand master either

Half a century later I rarely play chess but I do watch a lot of football on TV

I can see the patterns in the play and can predict the next moves

I am thrilled when my team pulls of a daring set of passes to score

To the untrained eye its just a bunch of folks kicking a ball around a field

In my mind football is a game of chess played at 200mph

With 2 coaches on the sideline orchestrating the mental battle

After each game I enjoy studying the detailed analysis

Heat maps showing where each player spent most time

Diagrams showing the formations of each team when attacking or defending

Arrows showing how passes led to a goal

football is a fascinating sport to play or watch

I will be forever grateful to the teacher who taught me chess

my chess playing skills morphed in my football playing games

my football spectating era morphed into watching a chess like game

the royal wave under gray skies

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sunrise crept in unnoticed

no amazing illuminated clouds

no bright orange ball in the sky 

just a full blanket of uniform gray clouds

the waters of the bay were thoroughly disappointed 

unable to entertain us with any bright reflections

not even a breeze to dance over the water

the waters stood still holding their breath

gently leaning against the marsh

the lush green marsh grass of summer

has been repainted with fall browns and yellows

a large gray heron crouched on the edge of the marsh

his shoulders slumped as he stares and the fish-less edges

he looked hungry bored and dejected

no boats on the bay pulling up crab pots

the watermen all stayed in bed snoring

its was going to be one of those dull uneventful Sundays

unless we could do something wild and crazy to combat the grayness

We decided to take a mystery drive down the lanes

taking random turns alongside harvested fields and smelly chicken houses

pausing to look how nature steadily reclaims abandoned properties

Tress literally growing through an old collapsed roof

I spotted a sign that it will soon be endless summer cruising in Ocean City

I remembered last year when we drove down Coastal Highway in our boring gray SUV

surrounded by brightly colored thundering hot rods and cruisers

under a blanket of dreary gray Sunday clouds

the streets were lined with hoards of spectators

we smiled and gave everybody the royal wave under gray skies

most people waved back smiling

You can still have fun without blue skies and the sun

Whats in your pen?

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Many years ago

I used to write with a pen

It would rest between my fingers patiently

It held all my unborn thoughts 

I would start to move it on the paper

Tracing the words of my dreams

Ink flowed freely and smoothly

Words spilled out of the nib

Whole sentences emerged

Great stories came to life

But that has all changed now

I sit at a keyboard and blank computer screen

Waiting for my fingers to tap dance

Letters appear on the screen

They line up in neat rows

Like well drilled soldiers

Words appear one by one

They avoid spilling off the edge

Magically jumping down to the next line

Pages are filled with my thoughts

My old pen looks on in awe

His ink still holds an immense quantity of my untold thoughts

Unfortunately I am too lazy to release them

Maybe one day I will find a way to plug the pen into the computer