My Poem “First Christmas”

I don't remember my first Christmas;
but then again, who does?
However, I will always remember
the first Christmases of others -
and Christmas this year
will always be special to me,
because this year will be the first Christmas
of the boy who smiles at me
every time I smile at him:
my new nephew, Milo.

I envy my nephew,
because every day he gets
to experience things
for the first time in his life -
and very soon he will
get to meet Father Christmas,
he will get to receive his
first Christmas presents,
and he will be able to go out
into the snow with his parents
and help them build a snowman.

This year will be the first time
in a long time that our family
has welcomed a new addition -
and what better time is there
for all of us to gather together
and around the embodiment
of our family's love and affection
who is in our eyes nothing short
of being an angel who we love
nothing more than to see
happy and smiling from ear to ear.

This year has been a roller-coaster
for many people around the world;
but, for my family, my nephew
Milo has been the miracle
that I always knew he would be to us
from the moment that he was born -
and even though I know that he
probably wont remember
any of this time when he is older,
I hope that he will always
think back and know that 
he was always loved
and that if our family had
anything to say about it
then Milo's first Christmas
would be a time in all of our lives
that we would never forget.

A Poem A Day #55: The Poetry Machine

“The Poetry Machine” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘Poet of the Sphere’ which was published in 2012 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings

TMHE – Episode #55: “Rest in Peace, Anne Rice” (1941-2021) – a tribute

In this episode Mark pays tribute to one of the most prolific authors of gothic fiction, the American author Anne Rice – who it was sadly announced has passed away due to complications following a stroke at the age of 80. Anne was incredibly inspirational to her many readers and fans of her books, most notably her “The Vampire Chronicles” series of novels, and she influenced many other artists and authors in so many ways – including Mark himself. Rest in Peace, Anne Rice – October 4, 1941 – December 11, 2021.

A Poem A Day #54: Worth

“Worth” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘Poet of the Sphere’ which was published in 2012 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings

A Poem A Day #53: The Mystery Box

“The Mystery Box” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘Poet of the Sphere’ which was published in 2012 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings

A Poem A Day #52: Flicker

“Flicker” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘Poet of the Sphere’ which was published in 2012 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings

A Poem A Day #51: Le Stylo

“Le Stylo” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘Poet of the Sphere’ which was published in 2012 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings

A Poem A Day #50: Mercury

“Mercury” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘Poet of the Sphere’ which was published in 2012 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings

A Poem A Day #49: Blond

“Blond” by Mark Hastings was taken from Mark’s poetry collection ‘Poet of the Sphere’ which was published in 2012 by Zeloo Media. Check out more of Mark’s poetry online @ http://MarkThePoet.Me – all poems © Mark Hastings

My Poem “Jingles”

There is a reason
why those jingles that we first hear
as a child stay with us for so long...
there is a reason
why those Christmas songs
that are replayed on the radio
get stuck in our head
and then get repeated by us just for fun...
there is a reason
why a Number One song
catches the attention of someone,
gets shared, and then goes viral
simultaneously all around the world...
there is a reason
why a certain song sticks out
among the crowd of infinite streams
that there are and does not fade
out of the public consciousness
no matter what...
there is a reason
why we get attached to songs,
to artists, to music, to the words of lyrics
that seem to say everything
that we openly want to convey...
there is a reason
why when we need to remember
something, someone, somewhere,
at some time in our life,
we fall back upon that spark of magic
that can only be experienced by
hearing it with your ears
as well as feeling it with your heart -
that can make you close your eyes,
that can take your breath away,
and can sometimes give you goose pimples...
there is a reason
why we hold on to memories
of childhood experiences
that can easily return to our thoughts
after hearing the slightest of jingles.