love

My Poem “Jingles”

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

A Poem A Day #47: Seeing My Father Cry

Mark Hastings Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , , , ,
“Seeing My Father Cry” 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 #46: Cool

Mark Hastings Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , ,
“Cool” 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 #45: Origins

Mark Hastings Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , ,
“Origins” 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 #44: Summer’s Kiss

Mark Hastings Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , , ,
“Summer’s Kiss” 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 #43: Thank you

Mark Hastings Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , ,
“Спасибо” (Thank you) 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 #42: To Whom It May Concern

Mark Hastings Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , ,
“To Whom It May Concern” 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 #39: Rediscovery

Mark Hastings Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , , , ,
“Rediscovery” 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 #38: Epitome

Mark Hastings Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , ,
“Epitome” 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 “The Giving”

Mark Hastings Podcast, Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , 
Giving gifts is a vital part of life...
receiving gifts is something
that no one should take for granted...
giving gifts is something
that always fills me with delight...
receiving gifts is a gift, in and of itself -
especially to those people
who say that love and happiness
is the thing that they have always wanted
and all that anyone in life truly needs.

Giving a gift should be easy -
which, for the most part, it is;
the hardest thing is always
the selecting of what to buy,
for whom, and why...
receiving a gift should be second nature;
however, for some people, for some reason,
receiving gifts can make them feel uncomfortable,
because they feel as if they cannot reciprocate
the same value of gift that they have been given.

A gift given and received
can range from something as simple
and yet meaningful as a ring, or a CD,
to a car, or a plane-ticket
to somewhere with a beach;
but the important gift that anyone
on Earth give is of course
the gift of their time -
which is gift that is free
and one which that will last a lifetime.

The act and the art of giving a gift
should be painless;
however, unfortunately, some people
can be incredibly particular
about what they want to be given,
when, why, and how -
and sometimes meeting someone's
high-expectations can be a struggle;
however, as people get older,
the value of the gift that they are given,
and what it is, is outweighed
by the magic of gesture of someone
doing something for someone else
and being a part of someone's thoughts.

A gift that is given is supposed to be
a token of someone's affection,
not a chore that someone felt forced to do...
a gift received from someone special to you
should be accepted and welcomed
as a memento of a relationship
worth remembering.

A gift may not always be something
that you can take with you -
but whatever we choose to give,
and whatever we are given,
is a gift of the present,
as well as a memory
that can bridge the gulf of time;
and, in my opinion, there is nothing on Earth
that could ever compare to the gift of giving.

Happy Thanksgiving!