Maria stood looking over the harbour at constant traffic on ocean passage between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon on the mainland. It all looked vibrant and exciting and she never tired of the sight. She loved the freedom of her release from duties with a Chinese household up at the Peak for these few brief…
Author: ianscyberspace
Retired, having spent working life in Australia and the Asia Pacific area. Married, with two married children. Travelled widely in the world between 1965 and 2006.
Foolish Pride.
Out on my board on a stormy day On the waves of a towering height, Better use care so the locals say And keep the guards in sight. Rips and tides trapped many men With luck some made escape So, locals warn again and again With a point to a distant cape. Where…
Jungle Pilot
“On this trip we check out a jungle strip not used for some time to see if we can revive it!” Leon was a bush pilot who’d flown in and out of jungle strips since getting his clearance to fly. I’d just completed an assessment of the air service we’d been funding from Singapore having…
Dreams
On dark and chilly nights it seems I have my most intriguing dreams, I’m sometimes driving places far And suddenly I’ve lost my car Replaced with childhood pedal toy The type I loved so as a boy, And wondering how to home I’ll go, Toy pedals, small feet working slow. Then other nights I’m…
The Drinking Fountain
It was vacation and the boys around town were looking for something to occupy their time. With pocket money already spent there was no use hanging around Main Street so after checking out shop windows for a while and discussing emerging fashions of the 1960’s it was time to retreat to the park on their…
Loneliness
She sits alone in window chair And watches children play, The sun shines on her silver hair She leans on cover grey. A weary smile on crinkled face Remembers times gone by, Recalls her tree house hiding place When playmates made her cry. Then softly hears her Mother call While seeking hiding child Her Mother…
Naomi
Roger glanced furtively toward the fence at the back of their two-storey home. The house had been constructed on a steep allotment which had been levelled at the bottom end creating a cliff strengthened against slippage by a slanting stone retaining wall. The house had been constructed with top storey, being the main living area…
The Broken Tool.
Ron sat at his desk pondering what should be done for the student he’d just dismissed from the office. Not enough money to register for the semester and it happened to be his last semester. He pulled the file and began to check out his progress during past semester. Grades were excellent, he’d worked in…
Wishing I was Sixteen
Riding my tricycle round and round Smelling the cake as it starts to bake, Straining my ear for the welcome sound Bottles of pop with birthday cake. Baby brother gives hungry cry Mother takes time for hurried look Wishing aloud that the time would fly, Father arrives with a coloring book. Children will come for…
The Scammer
It was one of those steamy summer nights when daylight lingers until late bedtime and friends gather to sit around the patio and talk while watching the sun paint clouds in pastel colours before going to its rest. Annette went back and forth between guests and her kitchen now exposed with sliding glass door…
Intervention-
Tiny shoes on tiny feet Stumbling moving forward, Arms raised high the air to beat Smiles her sweet reward. Mother walking closely by Father beckoning on, Sister urging her to try Thoughts of homework gone. Rosie reaching out her arm Rocks on trembling limb, Face now showing some alarm Throws a glance…
Another Day in the Army
“Wakey wakey, rise and shine!” John sat bolt upright on the cot as bright lights suddenly illuminated the barracks. There were muffled curses coming from beds as recruits propped themselves up and rubbed their eyes. They hadn’t long returned to barracks and checked in gratefully from night leave jumping into bed with the knowledge a…
