inspiration

Scales & George – Out Now

Mark Hastings books, Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , ,

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

My Poem “Small talk/Big talk”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , 
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”.

My Poem “Soldier On”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , 
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.

My Poem “A Beacon of Light and Life”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , 
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.

My Poem “Magic”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , 
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”.

My Poem “Regeneration”

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

Who knew that someone could
change so much throughout their life?
Who knew that someone could
go through so much and over time
find the energy that they need
to make it to the other side?
Who knew that there would be no mystery
greater than we are to ourselves?
Who knew that there could be no
question to be answered as illusive
as the one personified in
who we see every day in the mirror,
who never ceases to show us
that we all have layers and depths
that are just waiting to show themselves.

Everything within us, everything around us,
everyone we have known, everyone we will ever meet,
changes and reinvents itself,
over and over again –
at the same time that everything and everyone
follows a pattern of behaviour,
as well as a biological necessity,
to maintain something and someone’s
intended purpose in life…
everything within everyone
began in one state and then over time
adapted to their surroundings and their environment
and became a more diverse and varied
assembly of complexity
and meant to connect to the world
in ways that generation after generation
has had varying periods of awareness of and attention to –
because in times gone by humanity’s
connection with the world and each other
seemed to be more refined,
because our relationship with the natural world
used to be considered just as important to growth
and rejuvenation as starlight.

Every atom of everything and everyone –
from me to you, from every tree to every star –
can all trace their shared lineage
to a momentous event that happened
billions of years ago;
but had the conditions at the beginning of time and space
been ever so slightly different than they were
then everything and everyone
would have turned out differently –
and in other universes and realities
the consequences of what might have been
play out in a myriad of ways,
and the thought that change and choice has been,
and always will, be a factor in determining where
one set of variables will lead to
has always filled me with fascination…
every time each of us think that we
know ourselves and each other
to the nth degree and nothing about us,
nor anyone else, could ever surprise us again,
something, or someone, always reminds us to
never stop questioning our own existence
and the reason why each of us are alive
and able to do what we can do –
because every form of life in this universe,
or any universe, has repeatedly shown
that the longer you live the greater the chance
there is that you will repeatedly go through
a period of self-reflection and self-awareness
that will lead to profound instances
of change and regeneration.

My Poem “The Power of Karma”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , 
There was a time when I used to
worry about the future…
there was a time when I used to
worry about being alone…
there was a time when I used to
worry about being who and what
others wanted me to be…
there was a time when I used to
worry about those people who,
in retrospect, took me for granted
as well as tried to take me for a fool -
but, as times have changed,
as I have lived and I have learned,
I realise now that I am better off
without all those people who only wanted me
because they needed something, or someone,
for a short time, before they cast me aside
for something and someone “better” -
and to those people who left me
and to those whom I have left behind,
I say: thank you, as well as good riddance…
there was a time when I used to
worry that I wasn’t like everybody else I knew -
but now I know and I understand that
I am now who I was always meant to be,
and I never used to fit into
the puzzle of the other people I knew
because I am in a league of my own
and the architect of my own destiny…
there was a time when rising above
and touching the sky was just a dream that I had
and a wish that I wanted to one day achieve,
but now I have touched infinity so many times
and I know that the sky that we see is just the illusion
that we need to make us want to leap beyond
and into the unknown so that we can
begin to grasp our true potential
and our constant connection to something
that wants us to believe in ourselves
and what we can accomplish…
there was a time when I used to
worry that people would continue to
use my good nature against me -
but over the years I have become
more aware of my own self-worth
and I know that no matter what anyone
or anything tries to do to me
I will never give up, I will always fight back,
I will never forget, and I will always remember
the face of everyone I have ever met
and wish unto those who believe that they got away
with hurting me and not being held to account,
one day there will be a time when they will think of me
and regret what they did -
as well as realise that I was one of the best things
that ever happened to them -
while I will continue to believe in
and witness the power of karma.

My Poem “The Write Relationship”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 
Being a writer is like being in a relationship -
because when a writer writes they always
find themselves creating a connection
with whatever, whomever, and wherever
they are writing about…
being a writer is like feeling as if
you want to open yourself up
to being introduced to and influenced
by people and by things that will
give you the gift of inspiration and insight
into something within you that may have been
waiting for years to be freed and shared with the world…
being a writer is like having a license
and a vehicle to express yourself in such a way
that you can use the language within you
to bring together a confluence
of the fuel of your imagination
and the natural environment of the world around you
and get to experience the immense energy
that is generated, but which is often too
intense and uncontrollable to try and contain…
being a writer is like standing in the dark
and then witnessing an explosion of light
as the sun rises over the horizon
and blesses the world with
colour, detail, beauty depth, and a perspective
that the twilight hours can only dream of
being able to show -
however at night is when a writer can feel
at their most vulnerable and their closest
to discovering the answers to
their own questions of life, the universe, people,
and why things happen the way that they do…
being a writer is like learning how to do something
that you already know how to do
but every time you do it
it feels like the first time,
and by continuing to put in the time
to expose yourself to new opportunities,
new challenges, new ideas, new ways of thinking,
as well as all the ways that have continued
to be practiced and performed to perfection
over and over again, because they feel
natural and intrinsic to the way things
are supposed to be done…
being a writer like looking in the mirror
at your own reflection -
but as well as seeing yourself
you also see and hear things, people, words,
and worlds that feel as if they need to be
seen and heard, because they feel like they are
important and meant to be
manifested in some way…
being a writer is a journey that does not end
but along the way, when you are a writer,
you might find yourself stranded -
as if you are in a boat without paddle
rushing down a river and heading towards
the drop of a waterfall;
and if you are a writer, and you think
that you have lost your sense of direction
as well as your ability to direct your course
to where you want to get to,
the key is to allow yourself to go with the flow
and dive head-first over whatever precipice
and into whatever unknown you may find yourself
upon the edge of and fly, like only you can -
because being a writer is a privilege,
because it is a blessing to be a creator, a conduit,
and a messenger of the wonderment
that can come from having a relationship
that feels effortless, meaningful, and right.

My Poem “The Last Word”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 
Where would we be without language?
Where would we be without a way to communicate
and share what we want to say?
Where would we be without the ability
to express ourselves?
Where would we be without the means
to learn, to interpret, to understand,
to create, to make, to give something,
or someone, a voice to be heard?

The first word spoken by someone
is always a magical moment worth remembering…
the first time the sound that someone makes
can be understood by someone else
is always wonderful to behold…
the first instance that someone achieves something
is always worth celebrating and recording…
the first thing that someone thinks about
and reaches for after they awaken
speaks volumes about what matters to them
and what they treasure as preciously as gold.

Some people love to meet and talk to new people,
because it gives them an opportunity
to engage with someone on a personal level,
and also to make a connection
that they always feel empowered by…
some people find it hard to speak and to be heard,
because for some reason something within them
always tells them to stay quiet
and not call too much attention to themselves -
while those on the opposite end of the spectrum
are always looking for an opportunity
to get their point across
and to get their own way of thinking
and doing things recognized by others as
the most valuable and important.

Everybody always has someone
who they respect and return to
and could listen to whatever they said
for hours on end because they are such
an amazing and entrancing source of knowledge,
information, energy, and joy -
but who would never admit to being
amongst the wisest of individuals in the world…
some people are generally interested in all aspects
and in all the multiple colours and shades of life -
while some people only really care about
what they think is relevant;
some people are generous in so many ways
and they like to give others exactly
what they can see that they need,
including: their time, their attention,
as well as the space to make the first move
in confiding a long and deeply held truth -
while there are those people who are unwilling to
accommodate the other side of a story
and will not give up on their own narrative
and opinion of something even after being presented with facts and evidence to the contrary;
however, there are always those people
who always like to be the centre of attention -
who not only have to have the first word in every conversation,
but also the last word as well.

My Poem “Chapter and Verse”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , 
If only the truth could be known about every mystery…
if only every side of an argument could be
made and proven equally…
if only everyone could know
what someone else is going through…
if only the right words can be found,
at the right time, to be able to express
what can be hard to say about why things happened
the way that they happened
and what the consequences of them
continue to mean to you.

Some people are just better at doing certain things,
some people are just better at remembering certain details,
some people are just better at explaining
the reason why the pieces of a puzzle
all fit together and create a certain image,
some people are just better at making sense of the world
and coming up with a solution to solve
multiple problems all at once -
and then there are those people who
claim they are not special in the slightest,
but who can recite great depths of detail
and trivia about a specific passion of theirs
that they could talk about for hours on end.

For some people, it doesn’t take much to make them happy…
for some people, they don’t need to know
what is going on with anything or anyone else
other than those in their inner circle of family and friends…
for some people, it wouldn’t matter if they were told
that we had been visited by multiple time-travellers,
by countless dimensional-tourists,
by an untold number of intergalactic
extraterrestrial species from many different worlds,
because some people try to focus only on
what they know for certain
and the reality of what is right in front of them…
for some people, actions matter more than words;
when it comes to who we are, what we are,
what we know, what we do, what we have done,
where we have been, and who and what we love,
I believe that only each of us
can give an honest opinion on
what code we choose to live by
and how we justify the actions that we take -
because we are the only one who truly knows ourselves
and we are the only one
who can explain the reason for the steps
that we have taken upon the path of our lives,
from our perspective,
chapter and verse.