Category: poetry

Wedding Celebration Reading

Ian Hunter1 Comment

Today’s the day, the moment is here

Abby and Addison—we’re all full of cheer!

Soon the I do’s and promises will be said

A brand-new adventure for them lies ahead

Now Addison’s other passion is something ever so cool

Football, AKA soccer and his team is the mighty Liverpool

“Come on you reds” is the song he sings like a vow

So Abby you must learn to sing along with him now

While Abby may smile at his game-day obsession

She knows that his heart is her true possession

Because love, like football, takes teamwork, passion and great insight

And if you play really well you might get lucky and score every night

But marriage is a lot more than a 90 minute game

Its a lifelong match without a referee to blame

Together they’ll enjoy what marriage may bring

like dirty dishes, financial decisions, and watching Mo Salah running down the wing

They’ll dance through the highs, laugh off the lows

build a strong team where the victory grows

Now marriage is not just one single shining day

it’s cheering each other in every good or bad play

Please remember this day with affection and pride

Stay loyal to each other and never drift offside

So here’s to the Wests—forever the best

may love be their anthem, their cheer, their quest

Listen to the roar from your wedding fan zone

They’re singing “Addison and Abby”

“You’ll never walk alone! ”

Country life

Ian Hunter1 Comment

English countryside

East Sussex

Rolling hills

Green fields

Windy roads

Tall hedges

Tiny villages

Local pub

Warm beer

Pub lunch

Good banter

Friendly people

Slow pace

Afternoon stroll

Sunny intervals

Dark clouds

Passing shower

No shelter

Soaking wet

Trudge home

Warm fire

Dry clothes

Feeling hungry

Heading out

Pub food

Fried cod

French fries

Warm beer

Country life

Ideas

Ian Hunter2 Comments

Ideas arrive like small sparks

Not enough to light a fire

But bright enough to to distract you

Some cling to the edges of your thoughts

Thin as spider webs

Trembling with the weight of expectation

Others stagger around aimlessly and fall into oblivion

Ideas do not come with a manual or a tool kit to finish the build

They do not explain themselves

They press against your silence

Asking to be acknowledged

Not seeking approval

Simply wanting recognition

Left untouched they will fade away

Leaving a feint trace

A memory of what might have been

Embraced ideas will sometimes flourish

Especially if you develop them with a passion

Occasionally emerging from the sea of your imagination onto the dry land of reality

Waiting patiently for that inevitable question at a dinner party

And where are you from?

Replying

I was just an idea before

old rockers never stop rockin

Ian Hunter1 Comment

I saw ZZTOP in concert yesterday

my sixth time of seeing them live

the original band members now in their mid seventies

Still sporting long beards and outrageous outfits

most of the 3,000 people in the audience were of similar vintage

the band still play a mixture of southern hard rock and boogie

playing a gruelling 51 shows in their 2025 Elevation tour

celebrating 51 years of playing live music to their fans

they certainly don’t act like tired old men on stage

I can remember so well discovering their music in the late 70’s

I have carried it music with me through good and bad times

every song they played last night brought back razor sharp memories

taking ZZTOP albums to late night boozy college parties

driving my young kids around while playing ZZTOP very loud in the car

loud ZZTOP headphone weekend therapy escaping the stresses of corporate life

mopping while rocking to ZZTOP to liven up boring house chores

wild nights seeing ZZTOP play at packed venues

this was my sixth time seeing them play live

their music is still buzzing in my ears

Thank you ZZTOP for all the fun times

ROCK ON!

The beauty of the Cape

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Cape Cod

Here lies the peaceful Cape

Gulls cry in the salty air

Light dances silver on restless waves

Time slows to the rhythm of the tides

A beauty both wild and gentle

Endles as the horizon

A silent dawn spills gold over the bay

Sturdy dunes protect secluded bays from the mighty Atlantic ocean

Rising whales create rare transient mountains in the sea

A lighthouse keeps its patient watch

Brave fishermen venture out into the ocean

Tourists bask on sandy beaches

Yachtsmen fill their sails with Atlantic gusts

Cottages weathered by wind and salt stand proud

Cedar shake roofs are a welcome perch for resting gulls

The skies of the Cape are wide enough to carry your biggest dreams

How to spoil a walk

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….. With balls

The ball is so small, the hole is so far

You swing so hard that you see a star

It hooks, it slices, dives in sand—

Not quite the shot that you had planned

Yet still you smile, though skills are rough

But chasing balls is half the stuff

A perfect drive? A dream you so often recall

But golf is just walking, spoiled with a ball

let there be light

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he woke up early

she was still sleeping

the room was completely dark

he tried to go back to sleep

but his mind was racing

dark thoughts filled his head

they refused to go away

eventually dawn came

he went outside as the sun rose

he only saw long dark shadows

the bright sunlight was too much for him

he preferred a darkened room inside

she woke up happy and smiling

she detected his fake happiness despite the long kiss

vowing to rescue him from the dark side

she made breakfast as cool jazz music played

he hid under the covers a while longer

she dragged the covers off and hugged him

pulling him into the light for breakfast

he complained that the toast was burned

she knew he was only looking at a few dark spots

they had breakfast in silence

they both knew this was not sustainable

she told him they were at a crossroads

he took a shower with his eyes closed tight

got dressed with his eyes squinting

reluctantly venturing outside to join her on the patio in full sun

hiding his pain behind thick dark sunglasses

its time to come over to the light side she proclaimed

leave the dark side behind

he surrendered saying tell me what to do

just sit in the chair and relax she replied

she tied him tightly to the chair with soft rope

his eyes were tightly closed

say hello to Mr Sun she whispered as she took off his shades

he slowly opened his eyes and squinted

the sky was deep blue with fluffy white clouds

the grass was emerald green

bright vibrant flowers hugged the edge of the lawn

he pulled lightly on his restraints

slowly he became accustomed to the bright light

he stopped looking for shadows

she untied him and they embraced

her kiss filled his body with bright light

no more darkness in his thoughts

they spent the entire day outside in the bright light

a bike ride along the river bank

laying in a meadow

smooching in the afternoon sun

he felt warm and invigorated

they ate dinner outside in the late evening

he became anxious at sunset

afraid of the dark

she put on all the lights in the house

soon it was bedtime

he was anxious about sleeping

the darkness might reinvade his mind

she gave him a shot of whiskey as they retired

he closed is eyes and awaited the dark demons to attack

they never arrived

his dreams were full of bright lights

no more dark thoughts

53 years of hiding in the garage

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I thought about going for a bike ride

then the rain started

She brought out her honeydo list

the rain came down heavier

after a while I got near the end of her list

It was still raining hard

she added more things to her list

the heavy rain continued

a flash flood alert on my phone

the heavy rain continued

never-ending honeydo alert in my mind

suddenly the rain stopped

the back yard was flooded

the flash flood alert was extended

too risky to take a drive into town

the rain started again

I went into the garage for some tools

It was real stay in your man-cave weather

I turned on the TV in the garage

70’s rock videos drowned out the sound of the rain

I decided to sit in her Mini Cooper S

the yard flooded more

My first car was a Mini back in 1972

I turned up the TV volume

Led Zeppelin took me back to my youth

I don’t remember it raining so much back in those days

the sun shone all summer long

I drove my Mini everywhere back then

it was my little 70’s chick magnet

finally the rain stopped

steam started rising from the roadway

the flooding out back started to subside

memories flooded my mind

Deep purple sang “Smoke On The Water”

I was eighteen when that song came out

the garage door opened and she stood in the doorway smiling

how long have you been hiding in here? she asked

Since 1972 I replied

it must have been raining for 53 years

Tangier Island

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Tangier Island sits quietly on the Chesapeake tide

Its houses held up by memories and hope

Crab pots rest where stories hide

And time moves as slow as a skiff in the fog

Voices still carry the old ways

A old English lilt of watermen worn and proud

No fancy hotels or bars

Island hospitality consists of a single air conditioned restaurant

Local food prepared and served by local people

A short walk reveals the Island family names in small cemetaries

The sea gives and eventually the sea taketh away

But for now Tangier Island sits and waits

Go see the place for yourself soon

Taste the local seafood and step back in time

Before its too late

Einstein would be proud of you*

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I have always been a fan of mathematics

Equations for everything

How fast is Infinity

Calculate the square root of tomorrow

How many days until I get happy

What is the solution to the beautiful equation

Mathematics is the key to the universe

Some say beauty is defined

By divine proportions

A mathematical equation

Guaranteed to dispense dopamine

Be it in nature or of human form

A fine painting or a classic car

We all yearn for viewing things so beautiful

When things are not going great for you

Just close your eyes

Go on a virtual voyage

To your favorite place

With beautiful scenery

And cool companions

Enjoy their company

Stay there until you feel happy

Then dare yourself to come back

Open your eyes

Applaud yourself

Award yourself a grade A++++

You have just solved

The beautiful equation

Einstein would be proud of you