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.

Indigo Gin

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In the glass so crystal clear
A spirit smooth, without a peer
Juniper whispers with citrus sings
A symphony of herbal strings

A splash of tonic and bubbles rise
A touch of lime to tantalize
Cool and crisp with subtle grace
A fleeting hint of the forest’s trace

In quiet bars or gardens green
Gin’s allure is softly seen
A timeless friend to those who sip
It graces every gentle tip

Through ages passed from dusk to dawn
Gin’s quiet spirit lingers on
A drink to amuse like a liquid song
In every glass it feels so strong

Hail the mighty Empress 1908
I surrender to your pea flower infused juniper fate
Some drinks give subtle flavors that ebb and flow
But I love the gushing taste torrent of INDIGO

Just get naked

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Rich London women

Relocate to the Scottish highlands

To make new age organic whisky

For drinking in a sea of sweet cocktail juices

But this is not how whisky was meant to be consumed

It should be drunk eyes wide open in its bare naked glory

No need to add juices or spices

These modern organic lady distillers

Probably make love fully dressed in the dark

Pleasures should not be gift wrapped

Just get naked

the cheese just slid off your cracker

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Things happen when you least expect them

You are happily driving down the road

Listening to your favorite music

Laughing and joking with your wife

When you notice blue flashing lights behind you

A heart stopping moment

You pull over to the side

She says you drank too much at dinner

You tell her to stay quiet

Winding down the window and hands on the wheel

The state trooper approaches

You were doing 45 in a 30

You decide not to argue and just say sorry

License and registration please

He takes the documents back to his patrol car

She says he is going to do a sobriety test on you

You politely ask her to stay quiet

The officer returns moments later

Thrusting your documents towards you

Next time slow down he yells

As he races back to his patrol car

Then speeds off lights and sirens blazing

That was a stroke of luck you say

He must have been called away on something more important

She just rolls her eyes

You take a deep breath

Continue driving home but without the music

Dark unlit roads and it starts to rain

She says promise me you will drink less at dinner

Yes dear you answer without sincerity

That was not luck you think to yourself

It was just mean to be

As you take a tight turn

A deer runs in front of you

You swerve but still smash into the deer

The car spins off the road

Sliding into a ditch

Nobody is hurt but the car is stuck

Still think you are lucky? she says sarcastically 

You drive too fast when you have been drinking

Soon after you see flashing lights approaching

The cheese just slid off your cracker

no more corners

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I walked to the mailbox

The square door had four corners

I took out a pile of mail and a box

Every letter was rectangular

With four corners and two sides

The box was rectangular

With eight corners and six sides

I piled one hundred letters into a rectangle

I now had a box shaped pile of mail

Their two hundred sides became six

Their four hundred corners became eight

Where did all the missing sides go

Who stole three hundred and ninety two corners

I opened all the mail

Rectangular papers inside

Soon living in a rectangular trash can

I opened the box

Inside was a ball

With no corners and just one side

The ball was a tight fit in the box

Its one side touching all six sides of the box

If you could inflate the ball

It would eventually touch all the corners inside the box

Its one side would become six sides and eight corners

This is far too many sides and corners

I much prefer the round ball

I am going to start sending people lots of mail

In circular envelopes with just two sides and no corners

The envelopes will all be different sizes

So you can stack them into a ball shaped pile

no more corners

irony

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why do we always clean the house before the cleaning lady comes

don’t take life so seriously, its just a temporary state

as soon as you make it idiot proof…. along comes a better idiot

stupidity is a privilege but some people abuse it

talk is cheap because the supply far exceeds the demand

you should not worry about what people think because most people don’t think often

if you believe in love at first sight you must love a lot of people

there is no way I can agree with you because then we would both be wrong

keep lowering your expectations until they are met

creativity is all down to stealing other peoples ideas

those who laugh last are very slow thinkers

the grass is greenest on the other side because you don’t water yours enough

If you always do it right then you will never learn anything

a wise man looks both ways when crossing a one way street

temptation is irresistible

you cannot beat a boiled egg 

irony is an adjective for something that behaves like iron

just another Amazon package

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she was playing loud music at home

when she heard the door bell ring

by the time she got there the delivery van was driving off

there was a single package by the door

she brought the box inside

it had very unusual Amazon labels and was addressed to her

she was sure she had not ordered anything from Amazon recently

maybe its just a promotional gift she thought

she opened the box to find a smaller package

there was also a printed note inside which she read out loud

Amazon now offers time travel deliveries

this item was sent to you from the future

she thought this must be a joke

but it was not April fools day today

she decided to open the small package

it looked similar to a smart watch and she put it on

the screen lit up and a voice went on to explain how it worked

this will sense your thoughts and respond to all questions

no need to speak to the device

she wondered who had sent this to her

the screen showed a face similar to hers but much older

it started to speak to her

hi there I decided to use the new Amazon time travel deliveries

so I am sending this back in time to myself in the past

yes this gift is from you in your future

I wanted you to see something not yet invented in your era

still not convinced she asked the device for proof that this was not a joke

the device lit up again

it went on to list very personal and private information

things she had never shared with anybody

this was indeed proof that only she could have sent this to herself

she started to wonder what her future life would be like

then she started thinking how she could use this device to her advantage

the device intercepted her thoughts and spoke clearly

no I cannot give you winning lottery numbers

and I cannot allow you to change the path of the future

but I can guide you to make good decisions at your job

mentor you into becoming a top executive

but you will have to work hard

seems like a good deal she thought

It sure is said the device, lets start by having you read these books

A few seconds later her mind was buzzing

she could visualize every page of the books and the contents were firmly memorized

How did that happen she wondered

We no longer have to read with our eyes or listen with our ears

I can transmit complete books directly into your memory

she was hungry to learn more

within a few days she was a walking library of information

she took the device to her workplace

it connected itself to the network and scanned all her incoming emails

a message appeared on her screen

these are the emails you should answer as a priority

Also you need to meet with these people today

I already sent them invitations and your calendar is updated

This is like having my own superhuman personal assistant she thought

the device answered in sarcastic tone

make your own coffee

The chocolate cycle

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it all starts with a yearning

fantasizing about your favorite chocolate

imagining how delicious it tastes

next is the expedition phase

traveling to the store with anticipation

browsing all the options

discovering new flavors

making your selection

securing the deal and taking the chocolate home

chocolate date phase is next

deciding the right moment to consume it

inviting somebody to share it

arranging the right drink to pair

now there is the ritual phase

You bring out the chocolate after dinner

pour a glass of your paired beverage

show the chocolate to your chosen one

you both touch it and smell it

sipping on that beverage as the excitement mounts

now is the consumption phase

party in the mouth time

you both banter about the exquisite taste

searching deep for the best superlatives

alternating sips and bites

repeat slowly but often until its all gone

now is the guilt phase

why did you eat it all in one sitting

think about all those calories

as you pour two more drinks

finally the binge phase

you grab another bar of chocolate

tear open the wrapping

pass half to the other person

chomp away until its all gone

bellies full and sated

sugar high kicks in

perhaps a little queasy

now the coming out phase

you both own up to your addictions

admit that you lost control

but you are both proud of it

and you will do it all again soon

not ready for chocolate rehab yet

Bargaining with your soul

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Chronic pain is so hard to endure

Carry it like a curse

Impossible to ignore or forget

Medication might dull the effects

But it still keeps you tensed up

Reminding you that you are the victim

Teaching you a lesson the hard way

Scolding you to avoid doing whatever it was causing the pain

Be it a careless injury or a sickness from your bad lifestyle 

Often its neither and you have nobody to blame

You start to ask why me

You become envious of those who live pain free

People are sympathetic but they cannot feel your pain

Its not something that can be shared around

You are stuck with it 

Your cross to bear

Your torture to suffer

Sleep brings temporary relief

Nothing worse than waking up in pain

You start to bargain with your soul

Making deals if he can eliminate the pain

The penance will be worth it

Keep bargaining

Landscape painting

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On a beautiful summer day

An artist set up an easel

Arranged his paints

Studied the landscape

Slow deliberate brushstrokes

Outlined the rolling hills

The green foliage

And the bright blue sky

He went into a trance 

The brush welded to his hand

Moved autonomously

Without any thought

Muscles in his hand

Controlled by unknown forces

Reproducing the landscape

Onto the canvas

He stopped to admire

His finished work

A passing family

Looked on in awe

Their youngest child

Pointed to a lonely cloud

In the blue sky

You missed a bit he said

The artist smiled

Handed him the brush

Just close your eyes

And imagine that cloud

With closed eyes

The brush danced

The missing cloud appeared

His family gasped

To the family the artist gave

That landscape painting

And to the boy

His easel paints and brushes

Business as usual

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when I lived in England

wherever I was living at the time

I always had a local pub

one where the bartenders were like friends

they knew all about me and what drinks I liked

pouring my favorite drink as I walked in the door

picking up the conversation we had from last time

it was almost like an extended family

no matter what the weather was like outside

no matter what political drama was going on in the country

no matter if my team was winning or losing in the Premier league

no matter if I came in straight from work or late at night

no matter if I came in alone or with a friend or lover

no matter if I had not been in for many months

no matter if I came in for a quick drink or a long session

no matter if I just had a drink or ordered a meal

no matter if I was tired and grumpy or refreshed and happy

no matter what day of the week it was

as soon as I walked in that pub

it was business as usual

the beer always tasted wonderful

and the conversations were great