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JLHunter
Senior Member

since 2006-10-08

Posts 557
CA United States

0 posted 2016-09-13 05:54 PM

Hello, everyone.

I am sorry that it has been so long since I have posted here, but I have had an inordinate number of personal tragedies in the last couple of years, including many deaths. I guess that I had led a fairly sheltered life up until now, as I only had one close family death in my whole life (my grandfather in 2000) up until 2012. Then I was hit with an avalanche: both of my parents, my closest uncle, and all three of my sweet babies, aged 6, 5 and 2 (Hannah, Kenneth and Alexandra, respectively). On top of all of this, my wife left me on her birthday, and my sister broke into my parents' house (where I was living before probate to protect it and the belongings), and stole EVERYTHING of value. I have not seen her since. She took all antiques, collectibles (even mine that were stored here--and she knew it!) photos, yearbooks, schoolwork, and everything of note--including my irreplaceable college schoolwork, plus my awards, scholarships, etc., etc., etc.--of mine from when I was young (everything that I gave to my parents for safekeeping), so my whole childhood is gone, along with most of my adulthood before I got married.

Needless to say, near suicidal depression has been a constant in my life for almost 2 full years, and it continues... I do the best that I can, but work has escaped me, so I have had a rough life. I am sharing all of this because I had some pretty good friends when i used to visit here often, and my therapist says that I need to let out some of this stuff to people I know or trust (she said that even strangers could help, as they have no negative judgments of me going in--and it's better than nothing. I have to open up, so says she.)

Well, now that my heart is on my sleeve, please enjoy my newest poem in a LOOONG while. I will try to shake off some of the depression so that I might visit longer and more often. Oh, and before I go, a sad thought passed my mind. It has been so long since I joined piptalk that some of my favorite people on here might have passed on by now. I hope not, but based on my personal life, it is quite possibly true.

Best wishes, and all of my love, JLHunter

A Desert Night*
By John L. Hunter

I watch the desert sun descend
As night time comes and sunbeams end.
The cool breeze from mountains far
Bring only hints of what they send.

A lonely cry soars near and far,
As if to find the night's first star,
But swirling winds begin to howl
And briskly fade one's soul's first scar.

While in the din old nightmares prowl,
When snarling muzzles start to scowl;
The smallest critters find a den
And cuddlers huddle cheek-by-jowl.

At last the winds are dwindling, then
The moonlight calms all yet again.
And gentle night lets all be still
As yips and yaps call now and then.

When, finally, a frightful thrill--
Coyotes scream, the air to fill
With haunting sounds from hill to crest
While morning birds begin to trill.

Then winds and howls with joyful zest
--The nightscape's low, sonorous best--
Soars to crescendos as a crest,
As daylight soothes night's savage breast.
Then nighttime's world, as one, finds rest;
When nighttime's world, as one, finds rest.

©2016 John L. Hunter

*With apologies to Robert Frost

I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires. -Khalil Gibran

JerryPat2
Member Laureate

since 2011-02-06

Posts 16975
South Louisiana

1 posted 2016-09-13 06:08 PM

Very sorry for your loss and it seems you had great loss. I think you should have told us all that through a poem, or a few poems. I believe it would have been very effective. That is how I fought my way out of depression. I gave the world my anxieties and whatever else there was to give. It worked. Took a couple of years, but it worked to drag me out of my depression.

~ If they give you ruled paper, write sideways. ~

JLHunter
Senior Member

since 2006-10-08

Posts 557
CA United States

2 posted 2016-09-13 06:20 PM

Hi, JerryPat2.

Actually, I did just that. However, I feel as if the poems are sooooo personal that I would be baring my soul to everyone. I am quite certain that I am not yet ready for that level of exposure. I will try to open up more, as my therapist suggested, in stages. As this is stage one, I feel as if I have come quite a way already, just being willing to share what I have.

Thank you for your support and your comments. They let me know that I am not alone. Also, your comments lend credence to my therapist's idea, so there is that, too.

Best wishes and, again, thanks.

Sincerely,

JLHunter

I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires. -Khalil Gibran

JerryPat2
Member Laureate

since 2011-02-06

Posts 16975
South Louisiana

3 posted 2016-09-13 06:36 PM

Yep, baring your soul to everyone is what its all about. It isn’t for everyone. Even so, I know everyone here will love your poems and I apologize for my probably inappropriate comments. I quite like your poem even if that slid by me in my first comments. Sorry.

~ If they give you ruled paper, write sideways. ~

Ari Squire
Member
Posts 488
In The Phallus Lane

4 posted 2016-09-13 09:52 PM

Giving Frost his due requires no apology John. Still, your gesture is respectful and that's a good thing.

I enjoyed your poetry. Like spending the night in that desert of yours listening and observing rather than sleeping.

Loving Linny Jean is poetry.

Elizabeth

Moderator

Member Ascendant

since 1999-06-07

Posts 6871
Minnesota

5 posted 2016-09-14 12:29 PM

Hello John, it's nice to meet you. I'm so sorry to hear about all those losses, I don't think I could have held up. Anyway, your poem was amazingly descriptive! Hope to see more from you!

JLHunter
Senior Member

since 2006-10-08

Posts 557
CA United States

6 posted 2016-09-19 08:35 PM

Hi, JerryPat2.

I appreciate your comments and your kindness. I could not write back right away due to ANOTHER hospital stay. In any case, I enjoyed your critique and your suggestions. Thanks for taking the time to leave your .02 cents...or more! And I will try to wrest some gut wrenching prose out of my deepest, darkest soul. I say "darkest" because I have no "light" to share at this time. My "soul" is filled with depression and despair, though I am working through it with the help of a hard-working, long-suffering therapist with whom I have been through this journey the past five years or so. In time I will have more insight to share, if not light.

Sincerely,
JLHunter

I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires. -Khalil Gibran

JLHunter
Senior Member

since 2006-10-08

Posts 557
CA United States

7 posted 2016-09-19 08:56 PM

Hello, Ari Squire.

Yes, I always try to give credit where credit is due, even if it is a small contribution (which this Robert Frost form and style is not!) In any case, thanks for acknowledging my gesture. It lends credence to my feeling that it helps me to feel "clean" about my writings.

Thank you for visiting "my desert." I live out here--quite literally, in the Palm Springs, CA area--and I have called it home for most of thirty-seven years (with side trips to places such as Las vegas and Nashville, but i always seem to end up back at "home."

I do not know if I am supposed to love Linny Jean, too, or not, but I will if I have to. Also, thank you for your kind remarks about my soul-baring words. They go deeper than many people might realize, but that is truly okay. I feel that a work of "art," if you will, should stand on its own without explanation, though explanations may help to flesh it out if there is a lot of private subtext involved. Anyhow, thanks!

Sincerely,
JLHunter

I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires. -Khalil Gibran

JLHunter
Senior Member

since 2006-10-08

Posts 557
CA United States

8 posted 2016-09-19 09:09 PM

Hello, Elizabeth.

"Hello John, it's nice to meet you."

Believe it or not, we were fairly well acquainted at one time, many years ago. I used to post a lot way back when--before all of these losses started to rear their ugly heads, and way before they began to accumulate. But I am sure that you have a fairly-to-very busy life, so not remembering me would be a very small "mea culpa" on anyone's part.

I thank you for your condolences. They are much appreciated. And I feel that adding any enjoyment to someone else's life is a very nice way to spend one's time, so I am happy if that's what happened here. Also, as you have requested, I hope to add more poetry and/or prose to readers' lives' very soon, so there is that, too.

Thank you for the kind and gentle remarks. They are much appreciated.

Sincerely,
JLHunter

I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires. -Khalil Gibran

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