This episode is a part of Mark’s A Journey Through Poetry – a personal reflection of his life as a poet, a writer, and a author – in which he recites a different poem from every one of his poetry collections.
In this episode Mark recites his poem ‘Tenacious Me’, from his poetry collection The Dreamer and The Dream, and he gives some insight and some context into why he was inspired to write this poem in particular.
This episode is a part of Mark’s “A Journey Through Poetry” – a personal reflection of his life as a poet, a writer, and a author – in which he recites a different poem from every one of his poetry collections.
In this episode Mark recites his poem ‘Immortalize’, from his poetry collection The Eternal Boy, and he gives some insight and some context into why he was inspired to write this poem in particular.
This episode is a part of Mark’s “A Journey Through Poetry” – a personal reflection of his life as a poet, a writer, and a author – in which he recites a different poem from every one of his poetry collections.
In this episode Mark recites his poem ‘Sound’, from his poetry collection The Sound of Mark, and he gives some insight and some context into why he was inspired to write this poem in particular.
This episode is a part of Mark’s “A Journey Through Poetry“ – a personal reflection of his life as a poet, a writer, and a author – in which he recites a different poem from every one of his poetry collections.
In this episode Mark recites his poem ‘The Poet’, from his poetry collection Poet of the Sphere, and he gives some insight and some context into why he was inspired to write this poem in particular.
Meet Scales – a dragon who lives inside a cave, beneath a mountain, in the Land of Mountain Shadow.
Meet George – a brave knight, defender, warrior, and hero to the people of Mountain Shadow.
One day, while resting at home, in his cave, underneath the Earth, Scales is visited by George, who tells him he wishes to slay Scales for the sake of his people. But why? How? And what happened when this dragon and this hero came face to face with one another? Well, the only way to find out is within the story of Scales & George.
I am thrilled to say that my new children’s ‘Scales & George’ is now available to buy on Amazon. This book was a long time in the making, as is the story within. The original story was first published in my short-story and poetry collection Too Close to The Sun in 2016, and then republished again in 2024; however, this new illustrated version, illustrated by me, is how the story was always meant to be enjoyed, because it was always written for a younger audience – though I believe the story can be enjoyed by those of all ages.
And not only can Scales & George be enjoyed in its new paperback form from Amazon, but it can also be listened to on Spotify, and it can also be enjoyed visually on YouTube:
It has been a joy to bring Scales & George to life in a way that I always wanted it to be when I first wrote it 10 years ago, and I hope that it can now be enjoyed as I originally intended it to be.
-Mark
Making a connection with someone
is not something that should be taken for granted…
being able to talk to someone about something
that you know matters to them is important
in more ways than can be expressed…
talking with people whom you don’t know,
as well as with people whom you may
never have thought you would ever talk to,
is the first of many steps that allow
all of us to reach a conclusion
and a consensus about who we all are…
the more that we choose to see beyond
the differences that lie between so many of us -
differences of culture, belief, religion,
fashion, music, entertainment, and ritual -
we can begin to see, hear, and understand
that no matter how many things some of us do
and express differently there is always a mutual
hope to be understood and accepted for who we are…
it has been proven time and time again
that sometimes the simplest
and the most innocent of conversations
can have the most impact upon someone,
and can also affect and influence
the outcome of the future -
from something as trivial as asking someone for the time,
or something so simple as asking someone
how they are and how they are feeling -
can be like giving someone a much needed
opening to say something that they
may have been holding back,
which had been growing out of control within them…
it has been witnessed repeatedly by countless people
the power that words can have on people -
words that cannot be unsaid,
and which say more than what they might
at first seem to be about:
an interconnected network of language
that can communicate with others
something that can help them find something
which they are passionate about finding,
which they look forward to seeing, hearing,
and witnessing in the art that people create,
and especially in the music of their own lives
captured within the verse of a song…
there is a reason why it is easier to say some things
to some people than it is to say all things to everyone,
because some things first require the firm foundation
of a long term relationship between individuals
that can allow for the weight of what may be said
to be understood on a level playing ground
and with the stability to be able to sustain itself
even if the atmosphere of the forum
becomes as tumultuous as the waves of an ocean,
or as unpredictable and as unsettling
as the shaking ground of an earthquake…
one word; one sound; one breath of air from someone’s lungs;
one look in the eye; one instance of selflessness;
one moment of silence, self-reflection,
and self-awareness can be the catalyst
that can cause a change in the lives of many others
far away and beyond your apparent sphere of influence -
because every action is a response
to infinite number that came before it;
because if this day and age has anything
to teach each and every one of us
it would have to be that things grow over time,
and where there is a spark there will always be
the fuel for a fire that could spread
farther and faster than could be expected or predicted,
and even the most tentative of “small” talk
could potentially be the beginning of something “big”.
Life is full of surprises…
the world is full of possibilities…
everybody can be happy one day
and then sad the next…
each of us all go through times
of grief and loss that make us
who will be going forward for the rest of our lives…
the best of us are often called upon
to pick ourselves up and asked
to commit ourselves to a cause
that is worth more than could possibly be known…
even those who may have never known
the hardships of those who have had
to fight their entire lives
sometimes have to become something
and someone who has to daily find the strength
to keep going and to keep doing what they
have been asked to do by a higher power
than themselves…
over time friends can become strangers,
allies can become adversaries,
and the relationships that we all share with some people
can become upended and never return
to how they once were -
because everything and everyone always changes…
pain and suffering can be the catalyst
responsible for transforming
an innocent into a soldier
who has to become a selfless survivor
on the battlefield of life that they envision before them -
while in private even the most fearless
and inspiring of leaders cry for their old life
and wish to return to a place and a time
when things were simpler
and they weren’t living every minute of their lives
as if they were in the middle of a war…
even the most beautiful of sunrises and sunsets
can give brief moments of peace, silence, and solace
to those who have little time to spare to enjoy the world
for how others still see and believe it to be;
however, time marches on,
the world continues to spin on its axis,
and the endless cycle of violence and chaos
does not stop spreading its shadow
across the landscape of the world -
and all any of us can do is keep to our word,
to stay true to the path in front of us, to keep doing our best,
to keep being all that we can be,
as we all soldier on.
As I walk through the shadows
and the streaks of sunlight
on a bright and beautiful Sunday morning,
as I listen to the sound of birdsong,
as I watch the ducks and the geese
awaken and then glide effortlessly
across the water of a nearby pond,
as the multiple white trails of jet planes
can be seen creating their own
patterns across the blue sky above,
I am once again reminded of how much
there is to be grateful for -
while I am also reminded of
what has been lost and who,
and what, will continue to stand
the test of time and nature.
As I look at the numerous green leaves of trees,
as I look at the intricacy of the petals of the flowers,
as I look at the blades of grass
as they move passively after
being touched by the tenderness
by the gentle breeze,
as I look across the rolling fields
and I see hay bales waiting to be collected,
I think back to simpler times
when I lived as if there was no tomorrow
and when I took the presence of people
in my life for granted without even knowing it.
As I see the poetry of life all around me,
as I glimpse moments of timelessness,
as I witness instances that make me
reflect upon the past, as well
as the world of the now,
I wonder about how far I have come
and how far I still have yet to travel,
and how my experience of life
is unique to me and to me alone -
but I also continue to feel as if,
though I am on a solo journey of discovery,
I have been, and I will always be, reminded
of the incredible connection that I have
always felt to this world of colour, beauty,
inspiration, stories, and change
that shines even amongst the other planets
of the heavens above, because to me it is
a haven of life and a beacon of light.
Meet Scales – a dragon who lives inside a cave, beneath a mountain, in the Land of Mountain Shadow.
Meet George – a brave knight, defender, warrior, and hero to the people of Mountain Shadow.
One day, while resting at home, in his cave, underneath the Earth, Scales is visited by George, who tells him he wishes to slay Scales for the sake of his people. But why? How? And what happened when this dragon and this hero came face to face with one another? Well, the only way to find out is within the story of Scales & George.
Get your copy of my new children’s book ‘Scales & George’ from June 30th.
Preorder the ebook version now: https://amzn.eu/d/bFqtASy
I have always been a fast writer…
I have always been a slow reader…
I have always been a fast typer…
I have always been a slow listener…
I have always been able to see, to hear,
to feel the sound and the rhythm of words
and be spellbound by their ability
to make sense of the world,
while being aware and fascinated
by the fact that each word
has their own story to tell of their origin…
I have always been curious about
how a word can come to mean
so much to so many -
even now, I am wondering:
What was the first word?
Who invented the first word?
When, where, and why
was the first word uttered?
What did the first word mean?
And, after it was first used,
was the first word used repeatedly
and to the extent that it was understood
and considered to be something
that someone generations in the future
would be wondering about?
I wonder - that is what I do…
I wander - that is also something that I do…
I watch, I wait, I weave silent tapestries
of poetry within my mind,
as the world races by…
I welcome the opportunity to be inspired
by whatever angel wishes to sit upon my shoulder
and whisper into my ears -
because I know how intense
and powerful an idea can be,
and I know what can be achieved
and where you can go
if you decide to make a move that you know
will influence the rest of your life.
In my time, I have met wizards…
in my life, I have met witches…
in my memories, I see things
that even now I am still trying to believe…
in my dreams is where and when
I face my fears, and every day I feel compelled
to bring people together
and to be a guide for others to follow -
just as the Messenger God, Hermes,
once instructed me to be one night
in a vision that I still remember so vividly…
in my heart I have always hoped for the best,
and I have always wanted the world to be
whatever those who work hard want it to be -
but my faith in some heroes and some role-models
renowned for their gift to touch humanity
with their artistic abilities
has on occasion been proven to have been misplaced,
and I have had to reexamine, reevaluate,
and revise my opinion on those
who have been exposed as devilish individuals…
I have always been known to be one who -
even when seemingly surrounded by uncertainty -
chooses to find a way out of wherever I find myself,
and I always start by choosing to never panic;
because I know that I always have a secret weapon
that will always keep me from
falling into a void of no return,
and there is no other word for what I know to be possible,
nor another way to describe what lies within me
and a select group of artistic individuals,
other than the ephemeral and overwhelming
sound and sensation that we have all felt
when we have witnessed something
that could only be captured, in a word,
to be nothing other than “magic”.
Mark The Poet 