Have you ever had the experience of
misremembering something?
Have you ever been so sure
that something happened
as you remember it happening -
but then being told, as well as being shown,
that your memory of something
is, in fact, not correct?
Have you ever heard the lyrics of a song
and then mis-hearing them,
and then singing along to the song differently -
even after you are told that the words
that you thought a song comprised of
are slightly wrong?
Of course you have. We all have.
Because everyone does.
Why? Who knows?
But, what if the reason is something
unexpected, memory-altering,
as well as reality-altering?
What if we remember things differently,
because things have been changed
from how they were to how they are now
by a change in the timeline?
You never know. Perhaps, as some people say,
we may all be living in an alternate-reality?
Because it can’t be a coincidence that
some people’s memories of the same thing can differ,
while others have a clear and similar
recollection that things definitely
occurred the way that they did -
but, for some reason, somehow, something,
or someone, has acted in a certain way in the past
and has created new memories
that have been overlaid upon
the memories of what once used to be,
which has created a feeling of uncertainty,
a paradox of perception,
as well as a sense of what is called "déjà vu".
From quotes from a movie
to the logos of food packaging;
from the names of TV shows
to the missing tails of cartoon characters;
from an actor being remembered
for playing a film role that he never played
to the most famous example of some people
remembering something that happened -
but never happened -
which, of course, is the fact that
South African president Nelson Mandela
did not die in a South African prison in the 1980s,
as some people believe they remember he did,
and he was released from prison
and in fact died in 2013 instead;
there are so many instances of what has been called
“False memory” about certain things,
and cited by so many people,
that I believe there might be something
more than meets the eye when it comes to
what has been coined “The Mandela Effect”.
inspiration
The Pathfinder – hardcover
Get your copy of the hardback version of my book ‘The Pathfinder’!
Published in paperback and as an ebook earlier this year, my poetry collection ‘The Pathfinder’ now gets the hardcover treatment and completes the full line up of books that comprise my personal bibliography of poetry, short-stories, and novels – for now, that is.
My poetry collection ‘The Pathfinder’ represents my unending pursuit and my passion to continue to do what I love to do and to continue to be who and what I want to be.
To me, ‘The Pathfinder’ is a book that will always stand out as somewhat of a crossroads in many respects – because to me it signifies a place and a time when I once again took a leap of faith in order to continue to be who and what I believe I have always been meant to be, while learning from the lessons of the past that I have been taught as I have proceeded upon my path as a person, as well as my path as a writer, a poet, and an author.
You can get your copy of the hardcover version of ‘The Pathfinder’, as well as the paperback and ebook versions, from Amazon now! 😊
My Poem “Father and Son”
I still can’t believe that you have left us…
I still can’t believe that you are not still with us,
because I feel you with me every day -
no matter where I am, and no matter what I am doing,
it always feels like you are standing right beside me,
it always feels like you are checking up on me
and every member of your family to see if we are alright,
it always feels like you are now an angel on our shoulder,
a messenger within our dreams,
and always reminding us that we are not alone.
Losing you was like a nightmare made real…
losing you will always be a scar upon my heart,
a shard within my mind, a fragment of chaos -
like that of the debris and the aftermath of an explosion -
that will always illicit pain within me,
and which I will carry with me every day.
You and I always shared a strong bond
and a connection that connected us
beyond anything that could ever be expressed…
you were, and you will always be,
my inspiration, my hero,
the source of my everlasting strength,
and the example I have always wanted
to embody and to emulate…
no one could ever be as loving as you,
as caring as you, as wise as you, as strong as you,
nor as willing to do what you were always ready to do
at a moment's notice for the people in your life
who meant the world to you
and who loved you unconditionally in return.
I have had to change so much since
you passed on to the world to come -
which I believe runs in parallel to this one
and has many states of being -
and I have had to step up
and do what you used to do,
what you tried to prepare me for;
however, nothing and no one can ever know
what it takes to have to take on the responsibilities
of someone else until they have to follow in their footsteps…
every day, you continue to give me
so much of what I didn’t know I needed
exactly when you know that I need it -
as you always have, and as you always will -
and I will bask in your love, your presence,
and in your extraordinary light every moment
until the day that you and I are once again reunited
and we get to talk to each other
like we always used to…
you and I were, and still are,
so much more than what we appear to be -
because there will always be something about us
that is unique and unlike anything or anyone else,
because we are, and we will always be, special
and more than just father and son.
The Comeback Kid – republished
Get your copy of the hardback version of my book ‘The Comeback Kid’!
Originally published in 2023, my poetry collection ‘The Comeback Kid’ is dedicated to my Dad and it was the first book I published following his sudden passing.
The poems within ‘The Comeback Kid’ symbolise the inner strength that we must all sometimes find within us to carry on living after losing someone who meant the world to us, and who was an inspiration to so many people in so many ways – just as my Dad was, and always will be.
I honestly did not know if I would ever be able to write anything else ever again after I lost my Dad; however, while still continuing to feel my Dad’s presence, as well as my unbreakable bond and my deep connection to my Dad, not to mention his phenomenal spirit and his incredible inspiration every day, I felt compelled to continue to write and publish a collection of poetry that my Dad would have been proud of. I know my Dad was always proud of me, he always believed in, and he always instilled in me the ethos to always do my best, no matter what I did – and I try to follow my Dad’s example and words of wisdom every day.
I miss my Dad, and I always will. And ‘The Comeback Kid’ will always represent who my Dad and I have always been – and no matter what we do, nor where we are, we will never give up, and we will always make a comeback in some way.
Get your copy of the new hardcover version of ‘The Comeback Kid’, featuring a brand new cover image, from Amazon now! 😊
My Poem “Make the Time”
If you truly care about something,
if you truly care about somewhere,
if you truly care about someone,
then you do whatever you can
to call, to message, to reach out,
and to maintain a connection to them…
if you truly want what you share
with someone, with somewhere,
or with something to last,
then you have to be willing to do things,
to say things, and to sacrifice things
so that a bond can remain unbroken…
if you truly are what you think you are,
then no matter where you are,
no matter what you are doing,
and no matter who you are with,
your mind will always wander
to whatever it is, wherever it is,
or to whomever draws
your thoughts back to them
like the needle of a compass…
if you truly believe that you are
the only one who can tell your story,
and if you believe that you are the only one
who has the ability to do what only you can do,
then you have to go to where you need to go,
you need to do what you need to do,
and you have to be with who you need to be with
to allow the art and the words within you
to spill out of you as it is supposed to
like the gift of an artist or a poet…
if you truly want was is best
for something, for somewhere,
and for someone - including yourself -
then you have to make the right choice,
you have to make a decision that may
have an impact upon your future self and your future life,
and you may have to take a risk
that is worth taking to make a difference;
however, before anything else,
everybody who finds themselves having to walk a line
has to make the most of the most precious
commodity that we all have: time.
Poet of the Multiverse – republished
Get your copy of the new hardback version of my book ‘Poet of the Multiverse’!
Originally published in 2022, ‘Poet of the Multiverse’ symbolised a landmark moment in my journey as a poet, as a writer, and as an author, because it was released 10 years after the first publication of my first book ‘Poet of the Sphere’.
‘Poet of the Multiverse’ and the poetry within were published when I began to look upon who and what had brought me to where I found myself at that time in my life – both personally, as well as creatively – and, as I did, I began to see a pattern, as well as a multitude of choices, paths, and “What if?” moments which have defined me and have shaped me into who I am in so many ways.
I have always been fascinated by the thought of what might have happened if each and every one of us had made different decisions at a particular moment in our lives; however, the more that I think about what choices I made – some based solely on instinct and intuition – I continue to be believe that what happened was always meant to happen for a reason, including: I was always meant to be the “Poet of the Sphere” and a “Poet of the Multiverse”.
You can get your copy of the new hardcover version of ‘Poet of the Multiverse’ – including a brand new cover design – from Amazon now!
The Rambler – republished
Get your copy of the republished version of my book ‘The Rambler’ in hardback!
Originally published in 2020, ‘The Rambler’ is a poetry collection that signifies, describes, expresses, and attempts to explain, convey, and communicate my love of walking, as well as my love of nature, and my personal connection with the natural world.
A love of walking and of enjoying being outdoors has been a favourite passed time of mine and my family for generations, and the poems within my book ‘The Rambler’ are about why it is important to never take life, nature, people, and the planet we live upon for granted – because this world is the only one we have.
You can get your copy of the new hardcover version of ‘The Rambler’, featuring a new cover image of myself, from Amazon now!
-Mark
My Poem “Step Up”
Things happen… cycles repeat…
people continue to follow an identical pattern -
however, then a series of events
leads to point of chaos and confusion,
and what you thought was going to happen
doesn’t happen, and then there is a question
of who, or what, is in control?
Because, though most people wake up,
go to work, and know what they have to do, and when,
most of the time, there needs to be something,
or someone, to keep things going,
to keep things moving,
to make sense of the world around us,
to be a focal point, and to be the one
with all the answers to all the questions
that there always are,
and the one with solutions to the many problems
and challenges that often arise.
History is full of stories of people
who started out and originated
from the lowest levels of society,
but who when given the opportunity
to show their true colours
and the spark of their potential
they chose to embrace the moment
that presented itself to them
and in turn became legendary
in their own way because of how
they showed what they were
capable of doing and becoming
when a particular time needed them
to transition and transform.
Actors; Athletes; Parents;
Celebrities; Fighters; World leaders;
anyone who finds themselves thrust
into a state of responsibility,
when they have to make a judgment call
on not just themselves, but others as well -
including being a role model that people
look to for inspiration, guidance,
support, and motivation -
know what it is like to have
the attention of others fixed upon you,
because they need to know what they should do
and they want to emulate what they observe
in the words and in the actions of those
who they believe, like, and respect.
Whenever you have to be the one
whose voice matters most
and the one that carries farther
than all the others that may be talking,
when you have to become the one in charge,
and the leader of a group of people
with a common goal -
even if having to do so takes you out
of your comfort zone -
you have just got to take a breath,
believe in yourself, trust your instincts,
and you will find the courage, the strength,
the confidence, and the will that you need
whenever you have to take a step forward
at the same time that you choose
to take a “step up”.
Vega – The Vampire King – republished
Get your copy of the new republished, hardback, version of my book ‘Vega – The Vampire King’!
Originally published in 2021, ‘Vega – The Vampire King’ is the backstory of Vega, “The Vampire King”, who was first introduced in my book ‘The Wolf in You’, and essentially tells the tale of his origin story: where he came from, who he was, what he has had to live through, and how he ultimately became the leader of all the vampires on Earth.
Within ‘Vega – The Vampire King’, you discover that Vega has been who and what he is for a long time, and over the centuries he has encountered several other supernatural individuals – including some characters who I have written about and who have connections to other characters within my other books, namely: Olivia Hunter.
‘Vega – The Vampire King’ is a prequel, a sequel, as well as somewhat of a parallel story to the events my book ‘The Wolf in You’ and gives Vega’s perspective on his relationship and his love of Olivia Hunter – what lead him to her, what he did to protect her, and how and why he fell in love with her.
‘Vega – The Vampire King’ is essential reading if you have read my book ‘The Wolf and The Vampire’ and you want to learn more about someone who is not like any other vampire you may have read about or heard of before – because, even to those who may have heard of him, Vega, in many ways, is an enigma and a mystery, as are the best and the most interesting of characters.
You can get your copy of the new hardcover version of ‘Vega – The Vampire King’, featuring a brand new cover artwork, on Amazon now!
My Poem “Homme en Noir”
Everyone repeats themselves…
everyone sometimes wears
the same things over and over again -
even heroes…
everyone has secrets…
everyone makes the same mistakes
over and over again…
everyone is different,
and yet unavoidably human…
everyone lies; everyone has goods days;
everyone has bad days;
everyone gets to a point
when all they want is a quiet life…
everyone sometimes gets ahead of themselves…
everyone sometimes slips back into old habits…
everyone sometimes flies high…
everyone sometimes falls deep…
everyone needs air to breathe…
everyone can sometimes feel
suffocated by the same old routines…
everyone has a destiny, a purpose, an identity,
a life that can never be lost -
even those of us who might have forgotten
that long ago we were told by someone
that some day we will be somebody
who will make a difference…
everyone who goes to war
returns changed by what they have experienced -
and the first enemy of every battle
that has to be fought and overcome
is always the fear of the one who is fighting…
everyone who has searched for the truth
about something or someone
knows how it feels to be given an answer;
everyone who has investigated a mystery
about why something happened
knows that when light is shined upon darkness
details emerge from the shadows;
everyone who has taken a leap in their life
in which they had no idea
what the outcome would be
knows that a sacrifice is sometimes asked to be made
so that the righteousness of their actions
can be rewarded by those
who are willing to do the right thing
for a greater good…
everyone is someone…
everyone has a future, as well as past -
even someone who spends their time
doing good for others, without asking
for anything back:
someone who has been through so much,
and who identifies themselves first and foremost
as a messenger of truth, justice, peace, and love,
who is only ever witnessed in passing
as a mysterious man in black.
markthepoet.me 