My Poem “The Romantic”

I have always been a romantic...
I have always loved caring
for someone and showing them affection...
I have always understood the power
and the depth of the words of poetry
even before I knew that I too
had a heart and soul that was poetic...
I have always felt blessed
whenever I have been somewhere
with someone who I could look at
all day with spellbinding fascination.

I have always been able to look
at people and see what was inside of them...
I have always been able to hear the call
of someone's internal voice loud and clear...
I have always been able to see things
and situations through a multi-layered,
multi-textured and multi-coloured lens...
I have always been able to sit silently
and hear only the sound of my own
heart beating in my chest
and not once feel any kind of fear.

I have always been someone
who could wax lyrical about
what a single red rose can teach us
about people and about ourselves...
I have always been someone who appreciates
the power and the importance of ceremony,
traditions, keeping things
as they are for as long as they can,
because I am innately nostalgic...
I have always been someone
who knew that doing what you love
with whom you love is always
going to be good for your health...
I have always been someone
who loves meeting new people,
finding out who they are
and what their hidden story is -
because I have always believed
that there is a power of the universe
that can only be known and wielded
by those who are openly romantic.

A Poem A Day #231: Now

“Now” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘The Eternal Boy’ which was published in 2015 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

A Poem A Day #230: Out of the blue

“Out of the blue” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘The Eternal Boy’ which was published in 2015 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

Mark The Poet – Episode #71: Happy Birthday ‘Poet of the Sphere’

In this episode Mark celebrates the 10th birthday of his first poetry collection ‘Poet of the Sphere’ and he recounts how he felt and what it meant to him when he was given the opportunity to get his first book of poetry published. Mark talks about what his poetry means to him and what his first book continues to mean to him 10 years on.

Happy 10th Birthday ‘Poet of the Sphere’

10 years ago, on June 1st, 2012, my first book of poetry ‘Poet of the Sphere’ was published by my amazing publisher Zeloo Media after the amazing Mike Blackburn gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to share my voice, my passion, my art, and my gift with the world, and I will forever be eternally grateful. And now, 10 years on from Jen Blackburn becoming friends with me on MySpace and reading my poetry and introducing me to Mike, here I am – after publishing a further 11 books of poetry, short-stories, and novellas – celebrating the 10th birthday of the book and gift that changed my life forevermore. So, Happy 10th Birthday ‘Poet of the Sphere’! 😊🎂📖📚

My Poem “Jubilee”

It is always good to have
a moment of celebration...
it is always rejuvenating to have
a time of reconciliation...
it is always amazing to have
a gathering together of people
at a special event or a party...
it is always wonderful to see
an entire nation of people young and old
seemingly united, excited,
and proud to be who and what they are,
as they take the time to display
and wave the flag of their home,
while also recognising the achievement
of longevity and leadership of their
Head of State, their Monarch,
at the time of a milestone jubilee.

There is a reason why children and adults
love watching fireworks explode at night...
there is a reason why people
love going to places and doing things
they do not do every day...
there is a reason why children and adults
love the escapism of books, films, television,
radio, music, streaming, games,
and why some people actively go looking for
a reason to physically jump after a fright...
there is a reason why some people
like to get dressed up and make even more
of an effort than they usually do,
and it is usually to signify the importance
to them of a special date.

Everybody needs hope in their lives...
everybody needs something and someone
to look to and to believe in...
everybody needs to fulfil a dream...
everybody needs light...
everybody occasionally needs a win...
everybody sometimes needs to be
around as many people of their kin,
their country, or their kingdom,
at a moment of feverish collective jubilation.

A Poem A Day #229: I am 1 a.m.

“I am 1 a.m.” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘The Eternal Boy’ which was published in 2015 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

My Poem “Before Breakfast”

Every morning, for as long as I can remember,
I have been waking up with a head
full of ideas -
often inspired by dreams that I
might of had the night before,
or recollections of things that might
have happened -
and as a result I always find myself
sitting up in bed, standing up on my feet,
thinking in between blinking,
as well as allowing my mind to wander
until it settles upon somewhere,
upon someone, or upon something
who drives my thoughts even further
down the road I find myself on.

Every morning, for as long as I can remember,
I have been waking up early
and then reaching out to the rest of the world,
catching up on the conversations of the moment,
as well as immersing myself in
the important and the superficial
things that I see which I know
mean something to somebody,
but not always as much to me.

Every morning, for as long as I can remember,
I have been waking up to the music
that always helps me to find
the right groove to start my day off with -
like dropping the needle of a record player
onto a vinyl disc and immediately finding
the start of a favourite song
on a particular album.

Every morning, for as long as I can remember,
I have been waking up
with a head full of poetry...
every morning, for as long as I can remember,
I have had these intuitive feelings
about what might happen
in the short-term future
as well as flashbacks to the past.

Every morning, for as long as I can remember,
I have found myself posing questions,
finding answers, and wondering about possibilities,
all the while knowing that there is
more to life to discover than what I
or anyone thinks they might know -
and all of this every morning
and usually before breakfast.



A Poem A Day #228: Near and Far

“Near and Far” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘The Eternal Boy’ which was published in 2015 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings

A Poem A Day #227: Dolphins

“Dolphins” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘The Eternal Boy’ which was published in 2015 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings