life

My Poem “Sunbeam”

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The afternoon light of the sun
shone down upon me
as I sat looking out of the window
at the world going by,
and just as I began to close my eyes
and I let out a deep sigh
I felt this instant rise of inspiration
and exhilaration that caused my heart to beat fast,
my thoughts to become enlivened,
and my imagination to become enlightened.

I felt like a flower that unfurls its petals
at the beginning of the day
as soon as they are touched
by the energy of the sun’s rays…
I didn’t know how much I needed
the gift that the sun bestowed upon me
until I was sitting there
and my poetic soul was reawakened.

There are moments when even
the most hopeful of humanity
feel low on inspiration,
weighed down by emotion,
and even lost and bereft of love –
but then a stream of light
that had to travel from 93 million miles away
arrives and gives a new burst of life
and reignites the overactive thoughts
of someone with a kaleidoscope of dreams
like that of the spectrum of colour
found within a sunbeam.

My Poem “That which matters most”

Mark Hastings life, me, Poetry , , , , , , , , , ,

Out of sight does not always mean out of mind…
sometimes it can be those people
who we do not get to see all the time,
because they live so far away,
who can be everything that we think about
and dream about every minute of every day…
sometimes it can be the people
who we do not talk to for days, weeks, months,
or even years who regularly to show up
in our thoughts like a reflection in a mirror –
and even though things may no longer
be as they were the history of everybody
is filled with moments when we all
learn what comes naturally
and what in life we sometimes need to earn.

It is so easy to lose things in life…
it is so easy to lose people in life…
it is so easy to lose perspective –
which is why sometimes we all need
to fight to understand what went wrong
as well as what went right…
it is so easy for us all to lose time –
which is why we all need to make
every second count and make every word
that we speak last like the legacy
of a light that we may only see
when the sky is as dark as night.

Things can sometimes be hard to handle…
situations can at times be hard to deal with…
feelings and emotions can often
be hard to carry around with you
while you are still attempting to act
as if everything is fine –
because the light that you live by
can at times feel as temporary
as that of the flame of a candle.

Life is my favourite thing about the universe,
because as someone once said:
“where there is life there is hope” –
and while I live and breathe I will always believe
that having the gift to wake up
and gaze at the beauty of the world
and wonder about who and what
makes it work, and why,
is what gives every day its meaning –
because the truth is that meaning
is what gives everything and everyone
that which matters most.

My Poem “My Poetic Journey”

Mark Hastings books, life, me, Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

When I first began my journey
as a poet, as a writer, as an author,
I was a self-proclaimed
“Poet of the Sphere” –
however, over the years, I would
definitely have to admit that
I have become quite “The Rambler”
and I am so glad that I am!
I am so glad that the spark of creativity
and imagination that first arrived into my life
over a decade ago still continues
to guide me to places, to subjects,
and to sources of poetry that I have
written about and I have included in every one
of my fiction and non-fiction publications.

Over the last ten years
I have learned so much about myself,
about the world, and about the art of language
and the magic of words that I adore…
over the last ten years I have seen things,
I have experienced things,
and I have written about things
that I could never have imagined before…
over the last ten years
I have met people who have influenced
the way that I conceive and understand
the world of poetry that we are constantly
surrounded by that never stops
molding and colouring our thoughts…
over the last ten years
I have made mistakes, as everybody does –
but I have also come to realise
that mistakes and missteps
need to be made in order for us all
to have epiphanies of wonder
that open up within our mind
like the petals of a flower
or like some kind of interdimensional door.

I have written hundreds of poems…
I have written thousands of words…
I have had a million ideas
since I first started writing
while looking for answers
to the universe’ most inspiring questions…
I have had many unforgettable moments
since I first felt the poetry within my soul
cast itself upon a blank page for fear that
if I did not my heart would literally burst.

Every time I write something
it always feels like I am attempting to describe
a profound vision or a vivid dream…
every time I have written a poem
or a story over the last ten years
to me it has always felt like
I were telling a story as well as
writing a chronology to capture
every moment of my poetic journey.

My Poem “Walk Free”

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Beauty all around…
nature in full display…
the call of the wild…
as I stare at the blue sky,
the tall trees, the green fields,
I am once again inspired by everything
and by everyone who I meet
who have also chosen to take to the trail
and travel by using the strength
of their mind as well as their feet.

I feel like I know every blade of grass…
I feel like I recognise every leaf…
I feel like I have an emotional
connection to my path…
I never feel like I am walking alone –
because whenever and wherever I walk
I feel like I am walking alongside fellow
poets, artists, and philosophers
who have all shared at one time or another
a deep and a profound belief
that everything and everyone is inextricably linked.

There is more to what makes life
what it is than we could ever know…
there is more to the nature of the
universe
than anyone could ever accurately
conceive nor put into words…
there are things that we feel
deep inside of us that we do not show
until we are breathing in the fresh air
of nature, and who we are, who we were,
and who we will always be meet –
because there are times and there are places
when and where within our minds
we communicate with everything
and everyone around us in ways
that are engrained into our true nature,
like the rings of a tree –
which can be awakened at any time
that we choose to step outside and walk free.

Keep Calm and Keep Walking🚶‍♂️

Mark Hastings Blog, life, me, Poetry , , , , , , , , ,

Hi, everybody!

I just got back from an invigorating and inspiring walk through the beautiful countryside of my home village of Meriden, here in the United Kingdom – walking over green fields and following trails that I have walked many times over the years, so much so that I know every blade of grass and every leaf of every tree like the back of my hand.

I have always enjoyed walking and I always take great pleasure in the time that I am gifted to be able to do it. I have been inspired to write many poems about my home surroundings and the natural world environment that I have been blessed to enjoy all my life – and, as a result, all of my books are filled with poetry and inspiration inspired by something that I might have seen, heard, thought about, or felt while walking.

I would not be the writer I am today without walking. I would not have written all that I have written if I had not fallen in love with the gift and the magic that walking or just being in the great outdoors has given me.

During my walk this morning I passed by a fellow walker who greeted me and wished me a “good morning” – which compliment I immediately returned, of course; and just before he and I parted ways, my fellow rambler said: “What a beautiful morning to be alive, isn’t it?” And I could not have agreed with him more, because this morning felt like a true breath of fresh air that I and everybody needed.

So, wherever you are and whatever you are doing this weekend, from me to you, I just wanted to say that I hope you have a wonderful weekend – and, if you can, take a moment to enjoy the natural beauty of what surrounds you.

Keep calm and keep walking, my friends!🚶‍♂️

-Mark

My Poem “Escapism”

Mark Hastings films, life, me, Podcast, Poetry, TV , , , , , , , , , ,

Reality is tangible, and yet there are times
when reality can feel absolutely unbelievable…
the real world is sometimes managible,
the real world is sometimes even palatable –
but occasionally the “real world” can
at times feel too much to handle.

Reality is physical and undoubtedly
it can at times feel painful…
the real world, the outside world,
is where things get done,
where progress is made,
where we get to look people in the eye,
where we get to share a smile,
where we get to experience things
that are grounded in nature –
but the real world is also where
the weight of certain things
upon our emotions and upon
our thoughts and upon our dreams
can sometimes make us all feel fragile.

Reality is life – but every so often
everybody needs a dose of something
that they have never seen before,
or perhaps something that they
may have seen over and over again…
everybody needs a vision of a life
and of a world unlike the one
that they are daily familiar with…
everybody needs to have this place,
this time, those moments,
those out of body experiences
when they get let their imagination
run wild so that it can play along with all
of the fantastic possibilities of creativity
that they see – which may not be
a true reflection of the everyday world,
but which are always considered to be
a source of hope to help people cope
and to get some much needed escapism.

Mark The Poet – The Podcast: Episode #70: “Preciousness”

Mark Hastings books, life, me, Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , , ,
In this episode Mark recites three of the most recent poems that he has written: “Naturally Reflective”, “Every New Someone”, “Loyal Companion”, and he reflects upon who he is, what he misses, and why life and the time that we all have is so precious and should not be wasted.

My Poem “Loyal Companion”

Mark Hastings life, Poetry , , , , , , , , ,

All those times when they looked up
at you with love in their eyes…
all those times when you would both
snuggle up to one another
and they would lay their head upon your chest…
all those times when you would
kiss them and they would kiss you
and they would want you
to stroke them as they rolled over…
all those times when you would both
go out for a walk, when you would talk
and even though they did not say a word
you knew that they were listening to you intently…
all those times when they would know
you were home even before they saw you,
when they would prick up their ears,
when they would wag their tail
and they would be so overjoyed
when they finally saw you.

There are no words to describe
what it is like to have an animal,
a best friend, a member of your family
who knows you better than you know yourself,
who you could never forget
all those times, all those moments,
and all those treasured and unforgettable
memories that you shared with them,
that you will always remember,
which you shared with a soul mate
who to you was more than a pet
and who to you will always be
a life long loyal companion.

My Poem “Every New Someone”

Mark Hastings life, me, Poetry , , , , , , , , ,

Holding a newborn baby in your arms
always brings home how precious,
how fragile, and how utterly unique
each of us truly are…
looking into a newborn baby’s
big blue eyes reminds us all
that everybody who arrives into this world
has the right to be given the best life
and to be protected by their new family
from coming to any harm…
seeing how dependent every new
gift to the world is to who they are
born to reminds us all that
even though every child born is a miracle
no child can grow and develop independently
of the energy and the influences
that constantly surround them…
being in the presence of a couple
who are the parents of a newborn
and seeing how through trial and error
they learn how to work together
to be there for their child when
they need them really brings home
the message and the meaning of life
that reminds all of us to be in awe
at the arrival of every new someone.

Mark The Poet – Episode #69: “Life As We Know It”

Mark Hastings life, me, Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , , ,
In this episode Mark reads three of his most recent poems: “It’s A Boy!”, “Frozen Tears”, and “Always”. Mark also attempts to share a message of hope for those who like most of the world are struggling with living their life as best as they can during the challenging times the people of the world are currently facing.