There is always one...
there is always someone
who stands out from the crowd
because they refuse
to be like everyone else,
to think like everyone else,
to feel like everyone else -
even from those who
they consider their friends,
as well as from those of their family...
there is always someone extraordinary
who is capable of seeing what others cannot,
who can see a path where others see none,
who can work with what they have got
and make something seemingly out of nothing -
someone who is intrigued
by the mysteries of the unknown
and the uncertainties of life
that lie just beyond
the limits of their own eyes,
and who does not fear
where the universe will take them...
there is always something
that captures the imagination
and inspires the gift of the soul of someone special
to go out and touch the energy
of the cosmic poetry around the world
that binds us all together,
and, in doing so, introduces them
to people along the way
who will influence them
to shine brighter than
the stars of the night-sky
and also inspire others
to follow their lead
with the commitment of a dart...
there is always someone
whose destiny is to go where
they know they need to venture -
even if doing so can't, at first, be understood;
because everybody has to do
what they have got to do,
and sometimes when people
have such a determination
and carry such a spark
of change within their heart,
they can be considered
a "wild card".
inspiration
Short story: “The Man in Grey” (2018) by Mark Hastings
My Poem “The True Journey”
As one day becomes another...
as one year ends and another begins...
as time resets with an explosion of light and colour...
as people simultaneously celebrate
what has come before
and hope for what awaits,
nobody can truly know how
they reached the point of crossroads
that they find themselves at,
nor where the path
in front of them will take them;
however, each of us can rest assured
that the past influences the present,
just as the present dictates the future,
and all of our overlapping
and interwoven interactions
have a resonance that rings out
beyond the waves that are generated
at a moment of creation,
at an explosion rebirth,
at an instance of regeneration,
at a point when a threshold
is traversed,
and, as a result, a door
to a new world opens...
as we all continue to walk
where we have walked before,
as we all continue to share eye contact
with those whom we regularly see,
as we all continue to speak
and hopefully be heard,
we all hope that the first time
will not be the last time,
and that no matter what we have done
and how much time
we have left on Earth,
it goes without saying
that there is always more
for each and every one of us
to reach for, experience, and explore -
because the true journey has no end.
Short story: “The Man in White” (2018) by Mark Hastings
Short story: “The Man in Black” (2018) by Mark Hastings
My Poem “Christmas Special”
Some people, some things, some places
are special all year round -
but some people, some things, some places
feel more "Christmas Special"
because they can seem to symbolise
what makes Christmas the magical
time of the year that it can be.
Some songs, some films, some episodes
of some TV shows can only be
truly enjoyed when it is
the intended time of the year
that they were made to capture the feeling of -
whether that is the old favourite
Christmas songs like:
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love,
"Last Christmas" by Wham!,
"All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey,
"Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues;
or festive movies, such as:
"Home Alone," "It's A Wonderful Life,"
"Miracle on 34th Street," "Scrooge,"
"Elf," or "Santa Claus: The Movie,"
and many, many others -
which over time have become
staples of the festive experience,
and without them Christmas
just would not be Christmas.
Some pieces of clothing -
such as festive sweaters and Santa hats...
some food and drink -
such as turkey, stuffing, mince pies,
mulled wine...
some decorations -
such as tinsel, baubles,
and of course Christmas trees...
some weather conditions -
such as snow and ice -
seem to go with the time of the year
when Christmas is celebrated,
but might seem out of the ordinary
and an inconvenience at any other time
before or after the month of December.
Some things just sum up what Christmas is all about
and what it means to so many people
all over the world...
some customs -
like decorating a real or an artificial tree,
or taking children to see Father Christmas -
are amazing and wonderful...
some of the rituals that people
like to partake in -
like going to church, lighting a candle,
or saying a prayer for
a dearly missed loved one -
are much needed for so many
to allow them to cope through
a sometimes difficult period
when so many people feel
at their most vulnerable...
some of the most precious
and joyous moments
you will witness all year
happen when people show how sharing,
how caring, and how selfless they can be -
and I think it is the way that people
communicate through their thoughts,
through their messages,
and through their actions,
which makes Christmas truly special.
Merry Christmas! 🎄
‘The Angel’s Halo’ (2016) – The Complete Short Story
Short story: ‘The Angel’s Halo’ (2016) – “Wake Up, Holly”
Short story: ‘The Angel’s Halo’ (2016) – “7th Avenue”
My Poem “Follow Your Heart”
Follow your heart,
even if your head tells you not to...
Follow your heart,
even if you do not at first know
what it wants you to do...
Follow your heart,
because your heart is literally
what drives you...
Follow your heart,
because your heart is
the one thing about you
that has been there for you
and has kept you alive
throughout everything that you
have had to go through.
Our imagination is where we dream
and where we find our ideas
for what we want to make real...
our memories are the roots of the garden
where the flowers of the seasons
to come of our life will grow...
our relationships, how we are perceived,
and how we perceive others,
are what we use to build the picture
within our mind that we hold on to
and constantly refer back to...
our achievements -
personal, as well as professional -
are what act as lighting rods
that ground us whenever we may
find ourselves surrounded by
chaos on an unimaginable scale...
our intentions are not always
going to be selfless,
because everybody is human
and sometimes selfish -
but as long as no harm follows
in the wake of our actions
then we should all sometimes
explore opportunities with the same
enthusiasm of life as that of a child
that can sometimes manifest itself
spontaneously and out of the blue.
There is always a reason for everything...
There has to be more than meets the eye...
There is always something that
captures our imagination
more so than something else...
There has to be a first,
and there has to be a last -
but in between those two extremes
there will always exist a world
of possibilities and poetry
where and when so much can be
witnessed, felt, read, heard,
thought about, and dreamt of...
there is so much that you can learn
from simply listening...
there is always more to gain
by choosing to try...
there are so many people
who can empathise with the pain
and the suffering of someone else...
there are always going to be things
that happen to us that will shake
the ground beneath our feet,
that will disturb the equilibrium within our thoughts,
that will test us with the curse of uncertainty -
but everybody has to fight
every day to find the strength
to do what must be done,
to be able to feel what we have
always known we would have to feel,
to climb out of the darkness
where we can sometimes find ourselves,
and by following our heart
we can come to realise that
there are more things possible
than there are imaginable.
markthepoet.me 