Short story: “The Man in the Mirror” (2018) by Mark Hastings

The complete short story “The Man in the Mirror” from Mark’s 2018 short-story collection, ‘Playing God’, about a washed-up rock star, called Paul, who finds himself staring at his own reflection, as well as being given a glimpse into the extraordinary history and former identity of the mysterious “Man in White” whose reflection gives an insight into who he is, who he was, and why he does what he does – at the same time helping Paul to realise that he has more to live for than he knows. ‘Playing God’ is a collection of “Seven stories… Seven perspectives… Seven experiences… about One Man in Black, one Man in White… Seven morality tales of one immortal Rebel, Hero, Friend, Fan, Father, Son, Playing, God”. You can read Mark’s poetry on his website http://MarkThePoet.Me, and you can purchase all of Mark’s books of poetry, short-story anthologies, and novellas on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HjAJMC

My Poem “Dear Dad”

Whenever a beam of sunlight touches us,
whenever a red-breasted robin
comes to visit us,
whenever we see a white feather
on the path before us,
whenever we feel someone
standing beside us,
whenever we see your face within our mind,
we know that you have returned to us
to make sure we are OK,
as you put your hand upon our shoulders,
as you continue to smile
your one of a kind smile,
as your blue eyes continue to shine
brighter than the stars of night sky,
as you continue to give us the gift of you,
as well as your amazing presence and radiating spirit,
as we all continue to feel
your everlasting love.

I can not believe that it has been
a year since I last saw you,
I can not believe that it has been
a year since I last heard your voice,
I can not believe that it has been
a year since I last held your hand;
every day, I still feel our bond and our connection...
every day, I can still feel your presence
and I have felt comforted by the knowledge
that I know you are now living a life
somewhere beyond what can be seen -
because you have visited me
and you have spoken to me
now multiple times in my dreams.

Life will never again
be the same as it was...
every day I think about you,
and I can still recall how
devastated and distraught
I was when I found out
that you had been taken from us...
I am not the same as I was,
nor could anyone hope to be
following the loss of someone
who meant the world to them,
as you will always mean to me...
I will always remember all that
you gave me and all that you taught me,
and I will continue your legacy
for as long as I live...
to me, you will always be
the best father anyone ever had
and you will always be
my inspiration and my hero,
my incredible and my always
near and dear Dad.
David William George Hastings
6th January 1949 - 8th December 2022

‘The Wolf In Us’ by Mark Hastings – Prologue: “The Wolf In Us” – part 7

In this episode, Mark recites part 7 of the Prologue to his 2022 novel ‘The Wolf In Us’ – the sequel to his books ‘The Wolf In Me’, ‘The Wolf In You’, and ‘Vega – The Vampire King’. The story of Olivia Hunter continues. The tale of The Wolf deepens. The Vampire King makes a discovery. Revelations are revealed. Connections are made. Tragedy and trauma leave unseen scars. Reflections come to light. Realisations are realised. Life and death, dreams and love, provide an answer to the question: What is The Wolf In Us? You can read Mark’s poetry on his website http://MarkThePoet.Me, and you can purchase all of Mark’s books of poetry, short-story anthologies, and novellas on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HjAJMC

My Poem “The Insight”

My father, my mother,
my family, my friends, and I
have shared many amazing
and wonderful gifts of shared experience together -
however, on more than one occasion,
above all the gifts of reciprocation,
the psychic and empathic bond
that I have had with certain people
still continues to thrill me
and to further convince me
that what we think, what we feel,
what we say, what we share
is sometimes inaudible
and only known by those who
we have opened up to
and those who we have
given a part of our soul.

Since I was a child,
I have put my trust in people...
since I was a child,
I have put my faith in fate...
since I was a child,
I have put my heart into a circle
of family who became my world...
since I was a child,
things have changed in some ways -
whereas, in some ways,
some things have remained the same:
one of which being,
I have always preferred
to be early for something 
than to turn up to something,
somewhere, late.

I have always had heightened senses that told me that something was happening
or that something was about to happen
that though it would be out of my hands
whatever it was would have a profound effect on me...
I have always had this gift
to be able to feel what and who
lies beyond the invisible veil
that separates the different versions
of what is called "reality"...
I have always had this instinct about certain things,
even before I knew what they meant -
and I have had experiences
with certain people when we
gave something to each other,
and I know that what we had,
though perhaps short-lived,
meant something at the time.

I have always loved having the secret knowledge
that I could do the seemingly impossible -
that I could go back to the beginning,
relive moments when I was younger,
and revist with the people
who mean the most to me,
as well as return to the places
and to revist the people
I knew from days and relationships gone by,
where, when, and with whom
I am certain I was fated to have known
and to have been given the blessing
of perspective because of
that has only given more power
to my one of a kind insight.

Happy Poetry Day! 😊 

‘Playing God’ by Mark Hastings (2018) – audio book: The Man in Blue – “Family”

In this episode, Mark recites the fifth story of his 2018 short-story collection, Playing God: ‘The Man in Blue’ – “Family”. ‘Playing God’ is a collection of “Seven stories… Seven perspectives… Seven experiences… about One Man in Black, one Man in White… Seven morality tales of one immortal Rebel, Hero, Friend, Fan, Father, Son, Playing, God”. You can read Mark’s poetry on his website http://MarkThePoet.Me, and you can purchase all of Mark’s books of poetry, short-story anthologies, and novellas on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HjAJMC

“Remarks” #7: He was a legend

In this episode, I talk about my Dad – who sadly passed away on the 8th of December 2022 – and what it was like recently delivering the eulogy at his funeral and hearing him described by those who knew him as “a legend”.

A Poem A Day #430: Fairfield Rise

“Fairfield Rise” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘Poet of the Multiverse’ which was published in 2022 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings ● Buy Me a coffee @ https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MarkThePoet ● Check out the merch store on Redbubble: https://rdbl.co/3xWa4Rw

A Poem A Day #428: Unbreakable Bond

“Unbreakable Bond” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘Poet of the Multiverse’ which was published in 2022 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings ● Buy Me a coffee @ https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MarkThePoet ● Check out the merch store on Redbubble: https://rdbl.co/3xWa4Rw

A Poem A Day #426: That Which Matters Most

“That Which Matters Most” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘Poet of the Multiverse’ which was published in 2022 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings ● Buy Me a coffee @ https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MarkThePoet ● Check out the merch store on Redbubble: https://rdbl.co/3xWa4Rw

My Poem “World’s Best Dad”

There was no one like my Dad...
there is no one like my Dad,
and there never will be anyone like him...
my Dad was the kindest,
my Dad was the most giving,
my Dad was the most generous,
my Dad was the most loving man there ever was,
and because of who he was
those who were fortunate to know him
and to have met him could never forget him...
my Dad was one of a kind...
my Dad was always thinking about others
and doing things for others...
my Dad had the most amazing smile
and he had the most hypnotizing
and the most beautiful bright-blue eyes...
my Dad woke up every morning,
he looked out his bedroom window
as the sun began to rise,
and though at times it was a struggle for him
because of what life had put him through,
he got up and put one foot in front of the other
and he effortlessly was the best friend,
the best brother, the best husband,
the best father the world has ever known...
my Dad was there for me all my life...
my Dad will always be my greatest
source of inspiration, strength,
and he will always be my hero...
my Dad and I shared so much together -
but I would give anything
to have more time with him,
to do more things with him,
to talk to him and to hear him say to me:
"Do your best" - which was something
that he used to say to me
and which will always stay with me
every day from morning till night...
life will never be the same again,
but not a day will go by when
I will not think of my Dad,
when I will not miss my Dad,
when I will not love my Dad,
when I will not do my best for my Dad;
but, to be honest, I know, and I can feel,
that he is still with me, that he is still with us -
because he was the best man there ever was
and I am the luckiest son ever
to have had the world's best Dad.