Over the years I have taken people
on a journey with me...
over the years I have literally held
the hand of people and guided them
to places and to things that are important to me...
over the years I have told people things
that only they would know about me...
over the years I have opened the mind
of people to what is impossible,
and I too have been fascinated
by what happens when there is
a coming together of many feelings,
emotions, colours, and expressions
of what makes a difference to the way
that people live, love, think, and believe.
Over the years I have always been someone
who goes that extra mile...
over the years I have always been someone
who would rather leave a lasting impression
in the form of a smile...
over the years I have always been someone
who would spend time doing something
that I knew in the long run would be worthwhile...
over the years I have always been someone
who knew that there was always more
to be known about the substance
of something or someone
rather than their style.
Over the years I have felt drawn
to things, to places, to people
from the moment that I have awoken...
over the years I have felt as if
I am only able to keep ahold
of some things for a short amount of time
before they are forsaken...
over the years I have felt found,
abondoned, made whole, and then broken...
over the years I have felt and I have seen
change happen right in front of me,
I have experienced the arrival
of hope and joy before my eyes,
I have made the most of every moment
that I have been given
and I always try to return the favour
of whatever or whomever I meet
wherever I find myself being taken.
"Hi everyone, I'm Mark Hastings...
I'm afraid I'm not someone who plays an instrument or sings;
however what I am, what I love
and what I one day hope to be
is a poet and a dreamer who can move the world with my poetry..."
- "The Poet" by Mark Hastings,
From my book 'Poet of the Sphere',
First published in 2012
This verse of poetry from my poem "The Poet", which is also the description on the back of my first poetry collection 'Poet of the Sphere', describes me when I first started writing poetry, and who I still am and who I still want to be to this day. Granted I may have made some missteps along the way, I may have made some mistakes; but I still hope that I have been a source of hope and inspiration for others and that I will continue to be.
I have published 12 books over the course of the last 10 years - filled with poetry, stories, inspiration, characters, recollections, tales of fantasy mixed with personal experiences - but no matter what I have written everything has within it not just me but those whom I have met throughout my life and ingrained more so than could ever be imagined.
I have always loved sharing experiences with others and occasionally capturing moments of time with others so that others can read and relive those experiences through the lens of my poetic eye. Alot of the poems that I have written have been read by many people, but some have never been read by anyone other than who they were written and intended for - but no matter who reads, or listens to my poem for that matter, I hope that I have left my mark upon the heart of those who have felt something from the touch of my words upon their soul.
All 12 of my books are available to buy on Amazon and a great many of my poems new and old can be read @markthepoet and some can even be heard on Spotify being recited by me on "Mark The Poet - The Podcast" - which is essentially a poetic trip down memory lane in which I recite a poem from one of my books every day.
Happy reading and happy listening!
-Mark 😊
markthepoet.me 