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.

Beach Day

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Beach day

At day at the beach planned

Picnic basket prepared

Towels and sunscreen packed

Beach chairs and umbrellas ready

Load up the car and go

Kids bursting with excitement

Parking a short walk from the beach

Dad does the heavy lifting

The kids carrying buckets and spades

Finding the perfect spot

Setting up the umbrella for shade

A stiff breeze off the ocean

Kids playing in the sand

Time for a nap in the beach chair

A few hours later everybody is hungry

Time to break out the picnic

The wind is blowing harder

But we are still having fun

I am handed a plate of food

Fresh sandwiches and cake

It looks very appetizing

I am salivating in anticipation

I bite into the sandwich

Horror of horrors it tastes gritty

Sand blown all over my sandwich

I try to wipe it off to no avail

Sand is blowing everywhere

Its in my eyes now too

Time to abandon the beach day

The kids complain about leaving

Heavy traffic all the way home

The kids start fighting in the car

Arrive home tired and grumpy

Sand is traipsed through the house

I jump in the shower and scrub

A large pool of sand forms on the shower floor

It refuses to wash into the drain

Why did I ever think beach days were fun

Beautiful day

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Beautiful day

Clear skies

Birds sing

Fluffy clouds

No rain

Gentle breeze

Pregnant pause

Winds roar

Racing clouds

Darkness looming

Roaring thunder

Blackness descends

Howling winds

Rustling leaves

Trees swaying

Birds silent

Crashing thunder

Lightening flash

Torrential rain

Instant flooding

Angry skies

Booming thunder

Lightening strikes

Torrential downpour

Floods everywhere

Rain stops

Still sounds

Steam rising

Floods subside

Clouds disperse

Blue skies

Birds sing

Beautiful day

Smart Phone Pinkie

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A few days ago I noticed a strange lump on my finger

On the inside of the first knuckle 

Of my right hand pinkie finger

I chose to ignore it hoping it would go away

But it started to annoy me

Then my imagination went into overdrive

Was it some kind of skin cancer

Or the first sign a very rare disease

Then I decided to consult Mr Google

To my surprise its a well documented condition

Callouses caused by holding an iPhone

And supporting the base with your pinkie finger

The slot at the base of the case causes irritation

Its been given the name “Smart Phone Pinkie”

No way I said to myself as I picked up my iPhone

Holding it in my right hand and sure enough

The callouses were rubbing against the slot in the case

Why just now I asked myself

I have been using my iPhone for years 

Without any kind of hand issues

I never considered myself an excessive smartphone user

Preferring the computer for anything requiring lots of keystrokes

Then I realized what had happened

I had just finished 10 days of Covid isolation

During which time I had no access to my computer

I had been using my iPhone exclusively for all my writing

The extra hand holding resulted in the pinkie finger callouses

There is probably a Facebook group for sufferers

Maybe a therapy support group

I found a much simpler solution

I now hold my phone in my left hand and type with my right hand

Next time you meet somebody new, check out their pinkie finger

Island Life

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I have always wanted to own an island

A special gathering place for my family

Somewhere to hang out with friends

Hopefully not too remote 

So I bought a small sturdy table

I put a granite counter top on it

Placed it in the kitchen

Now I have my own island

My sister bakes delicious cakes on my island

Its a great place to hang out at parties

Certainly not too remote

Proof that your dreams can come true

Never break the cycle

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William was walking down the beach with his father

Palm trees lined the edge of the shore

The boy picked up a fallen coconut 

What shall we do with it Dad he asked

I think you should bury it said his father

Then come back when the tree has grown

William dug a hole in the sand and planted the coconut

Remember where you put it said his father

William returned to that beach thirty years later

His own son by his side this time

William told his son the story of the coconut

His son was excited to look for the tree

Eventually they stopped and Willam said its here

There was a fallen coconut under the tree

His son picked it up asking his dad if they should plant it

Oh no John said his dad, we will take it home and eat it

I have been waiting a long time to taste it

Suddenly a barrage of coconuts fell down from the tree

One struck William on the head knocking him out

John ran all the way home clutching the coconut

He raised the alarm but his father was found dead

John watched the coffin being put in the ground

He joined the line of people throwing dirt in the hole

Then he paused and thew the coconut onto the coffin

Vowing to return in thirty years

Time flies when you are having fun but slows down when you are sad

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Instagram followers hide your lack of real friends

Texts with thumbs up and Facebook likes

Give the impression you are always happy

Saving you from actually speaking

Lest your voice becomes an unwitting informer

Dark sunglasses hide your sad eyes

You only take them off in the dark

A fake smile masks your depression

Your face aches from forcing it all day

Blacked out windows in your Cadillac

Prevent the world from seeing the real you inside

Your trophy wife paraded in public

She plays the part well when seen

Becoming cold as ice when alone with you

She talks to her friends all day

Never makes eye contact with you

You chose a childless relationship

Too risky having anybody that close to you

Expensive home and flashy toys

A thick wallet full of credit cards

Combine to hide your mounting debts

Long hours and grinding out results

Disguise your real dissatisfaction with your job

You stopped talking to your parents long ago

Tired of them asking what is wrong with you

You hang out with the boys every week

Mostly to be seen doing guy things

Watching sports and talking trash

Downing beers for an alcoholic buzz

Your sad thoughts briefly anesthetized

Laughing outwardly at all the stupid jokes

While crying uncontrollably inside

You wished it was all a bad dream

But its there every time you wake up

You pray for the day when it will all change

You wait for guidance of a new direction

You hope for the strength to adjust

You are constantly looking for the signal

Technical error, well more like human error

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Today’s poem went out yesterday in error

I meant to have it go out today but something went wrong

It would be silly to blame the computer because it just follows instructions given by a human ‘meat stick’ tapping on a keyboard

I feel sorry for the wind is the title

You can ignore this if you live in Europe because you actually got today’s poem today

For those of you living in Hawaii, you got both this notice and today’s poem yesterday

Which all goes to show that time is relative

We all live in the today but it is seen by others as their yesterday or tomorrow

Anyway, apologies if my ‘meat stick’ error caused you confusion or distress

I will send my ‘meat stick’ back to the classroom for retraining

Have a great day

Stay cheeky!

I feel sorry for the wind

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I feel sorry for the wind

he is truly homeless

always on the move

when he is not with you

he is blowing by elsewhere

invisible but forceful

sometimes light and gentle

damaging when in a rage

rain and snow are the gifts he brings

leaves rustle when he arrives

a still pond ripples in his presence

waves pound the beach at his command

when uncertain he gets gusty

why is the wind so unforgiving

if you do not move at his pace

and in the direction he chooses

he will push you around without mercy

adored by kite fliers

worshipped by yachtsmen

feared by cyclists

he is a sad lonely restless bad tempered old man

always hides his face but you can tell when he is there

constantly searching for the peace he will never find

perhaps he had a disturbed childhood

or a very bad relationship breakup

he refuses to go to therapy

I feel sorry for the wind

Discover your dreams, fears and hope

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Take one word from each group that starts with the same letter

Darkness

Despair

Disappointments

Depression

Light

Life

Luxury

Love

Pain

Paranoia

Perplexed

Petrified

Fun

Frolic

Frivolous

Friendly

Scandalous

Salacious

Selfish

Shameful

Happy

Hallowed

Handsome

Harmonious

Make a story about you with your six words

What does it tell you about your dreams, fears and hope?

My perfect mind medicine

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Calm waters on the bay

Soothing

Relaxing

My mirror to the sky

Paddle boarder

Gliding by

Floating ballerina

Stroking the water

She sends out ripples

My mirror is broken

Disrupting my peace

My second sky shimmers

Paddle boarder gone

If the bay can calm itself

I can calm myself

My mirror to the sky returns

Calm waters on the bay

Soothing

Relaxing

My perfect mind medicine