This episode is a part of Mark’s “A Journey Through Poetry” – a personal reflection of his life as a poet, a writer, and a author – in which he recites a different poem from every one of his poetry collections. In this episode Mark recites his poem ‘Nine Lives’, from his poetry collection The Dreamer and The Dream, and he gives some insight and some context into why he was inspired to write this poem in particular.
passion
My Poem “Sleeping Dragon”
Most of the time,
they are relatively calm...
most of the time,
they look around at the world, and -
though they see much that concerns them -
they are always quietly confident
and optimistic that one day humanity will collectively
figure out many of it's problems
and live in peace with one another...
most of the time,
they are accepting of
that which they cannot change -
mostly their memories
of past events that feel
like they came and went
as fast as the winds of a storm...
most of the time,
they are like a bird gliding over
the world below them;
however, there are times
when they see something,
when they hear something,
when they feel something,
when someone makes them feel enraged -
that is when they feel and know
that something inside of them
has been awoken and is burning
within them like a fire.
It doesn't happen that often,
but whenever someone has
done something to them -
something hurtful,
something selfish,
something deplorable -
that is when a part of them
rises like a phoenix
and shows itself to all...
it only happens if and when
they feel unable to control
the spirit within them
as it unfurls its wings,
starts to show its teeth,
and exhales their flames
in the form of words
that had been previously been
locked away and under their control.
People are seldom able
to know the consequences
of their actions,
nor how their words may
trigger the thoughts of someone
who only wanted to know
the truth of something
rather than a continuous
stream of lies and deceit...
everybody wants to live in a state
of peace, love, and serenity
when there is no longer
wars to be waged,
nor fights to be fought -
when everyone can understand
one another and get along.
No one wants to live
in a constant state of battle
with people who they may disagree with,
but who they may never really meet...
everybody wants to be able to
do what they want to do,
and be with whom they want to be with;
however, the events of life
never truly unfold
how we want them to -
which is why there are times
when even the most patient of people
find themselves having to show
a side of them that might seem
out of character -
and that is what, why, how,
when, and where someone
with the right mixture of passion,
intensity, and fire within them
can show that who they are
most of the time
is akin to a ticking time-bomb,
or as they like to be called
a "sleeping dragon".
My Poem “Universal Translation”
We all go through life looking for connections... we all venture far and wide searching for similarities... we all journey to places hoping to make some happy memories and to have some fun... we all trek, voyage, and ultimately discover, the deeper that we dive into the relationships that define the human adventure, that the frontier of understanding is one that is infinite. I always find it amazing and fascinating when I meet someone who speaks one of the same languages that I do - especially when there is also a meeting of minds that instantly and naturally occurs... I always feel fulfilled after talking with someone who I might have just met who immediately recognises that we have something in common by the recognition of something that I am wearing, because the near effortlessness of our communication reminds me that we are all meant to find people who we can give back to and can give us the best of each others worlds. I have always been hopeful and optimistic about the future, the world, the universe, the possibilities of everything and everyone... I have always formed bonds with fellow enthusiasts of the same things, the same places, the same areas of interest, the same sources of escapism and enjoyment... I have always known that the only way to find commonalities is to use the means at your disposal to look beyond what is going on around you and follow the steps to where people like me wait to be found and reminded that they are not alone... I have always believed that what and whom we choose to engage with influences us in ways that cannot be quantified, but the more that we meet and talk with others who just want to make the most of what fills them with passion we find that we share a dialogue that will forever be a gift of universal translation.
My Poem “The Runners and Riders”
Every weekend
within the village where I live,
there is a convergence, a meeting,
a gathering of runners and riders
who, for some reason, feel drawn
to my home’s crossroads
of paths and directions…
every weekend
people of every walk of life
set out of their homes
and eventually find themselves
at the same place, at the same time,
marveling at the journey they took
to be where they are and sharing
within their conversations their
mutual appreciation of what
always makes their thoughts race
and their heart beat faster and faster.
I, myself, am a walker…
I, myself, like to stop
and literally smell the roses…
I, myself, am a daydreamer…
I, myself, like to be unbounded to idea
of exactly where I am actually going
and let fate take me where
and when it chooses.
I have been both a runner
and a rider in my time –
and I can still recall the exhilaration
that I used to feel every time
that I pushed my body to the limit
while I got to where I needed –
however, nowadays, I am more of a free spirit
who goes with the flow.
I have been someone
who has had near misses –
and if the universe had had other
plans for me then I would not
be talking to you now…
I do not know how to be any different
than who I have become as a result
of all my experiences and adventures
that I have had over my life –
every so often dancing with
the flames of fate’s fire –
which is why I always feel
a genuine kinship with all of life’s
many and varied runners and riders.
My Poem “The Wildest of Dreams”
When I was young the world appeared to be
too big for my mind to comprehend…
when I was young I believed that if
I stayed in one place, doing the same thing,
then I could make something
last forever and never end…
when I was young I loved exploring
the world around me and drawing upon
the people around me for love and joy,
and when I needed my nearest and dearest
I was never left disappointed.
When I was young I read books,
I watched TV shows, I marveled at movies,
I listened to music that left such
an impression on me that to this day
every time I hear a certain song
I am instantly spellbound by its magic…
when I was young I imagined
what I would do and who I would become
when I was older, more experienced,
and hopefully a little wiser –
and now that I am older, after having seen
more of the world, and after having met people
from all walks of life all around the world,
on many occasions I have found myself
having moments of clarity, of inspiration
and insight into who each of us are,
how we should treat each other,
and how lucky we are to live
in the here and in the now –
rather than a hundred years before or after.
When I was young I could never
have imagined living in a world
surrounded by and connected to
an invisible web that can make
dreams come true and can be the place
where people go to find everything
and everyone – from a book to a film,
from a friend to a fiancé,
from a kitchen sink to a television,
from a celebrity to a spiritual guru…
when I was young the future seemed far away
and I did not have that much love
for patience, nor poetry –
however, now that I am older,
I realize that the one gift that has
kept me going, kept me dreaming,
and has kept me on the straight and narrow,
is the blessing of growing up with
the cherished abilty to be able
to instantly see the forest through the trees
and believe possibilities beyond
the wildest of all dreams.
My Poem “Substantial sustenance”
It’s always great to experience new things…
it’s always great to see things
you have never seen before…
it’s always refreshing to go somewhere
you have always wanted to go
but have never been before…
it’s always enlightening to be exposed
to the sights, the sounds, the people,
and the unique identity of a community
all living and breathing
every aspect of their particular
village, town, region, or city.
It has always been a passion of mine
to seek out, to explore, to experience,
and to learn more about the many
different and diverse voices, accents,
faces, beliefs, and opinions
that make humanity the distinct species
of dreamers, storytellers,
and builders that we are…
when people go somewhere that
is renowned for representing
and practicing certain customs
and for communicating
in certain ways of speech
that cannot be witnessed nor heard
anywhere else in the world,
you can find yourself initially
overwhelmed and uninformed –
however, like with most things,
the more that you are exposed to
certain things, and to certain practices,
the more likely it is that you will
naturally accept what you are surrounded by
and over time you will naturally
assimilate certain things into
your unconscious daily routines.
Being a wanderer can be exciting…
being someone who is constantly
looking for inspiration and stimulation
can be encompassing and thrilling…
being someone who wonders
why things are the way that they are
can be revealing…
being someone who ventures
beyond their understanding of what
life is all about is to be someone
who accepts the mission of exploration
and discovery that might take them
to places that are both illuminating
in terms of knowledge and fulfilling
in terms of inspiration
that cannot be underestimated
and are an essential and a substantial
source of sustenance
for the mind, for the body,
and for the soul of who you are.
My Poem “The Heart of A Wolf”
As wild as a wolf –
that is how my love for you
makes me feel…
my heart beats so fast
and the sound of my soul
being renewed over and over again
is so resonant that it may be mistaken
for that of a howl…
the passion, the energy, the spirit,
the fire of love for you
that courses through my veins
always makes my blood run hot…
my memories of you and I together
are so detailed and they are so potent
that I cannot get enough of the feelings
that they make shine
like the sight of a full-moon…
I have never in my life been so in love…
Melissa, my muse, my love,
you are so beautiful
you must be an angel…
I can see your breathtaking face as I write this,
and I just want you to know
that the love that I feel for you
will always and forever
be as wild as that
of the heart of a Wolf.
My Poem ‘Poet’s Fire’
There have always been poets…
there has always been poetry…
there have always been optimists…
there has always been a fire
of inspiration and curiosity,
even before the first apple
was picked from the tree of knowledge…
there will always be mysteries…
there will always be love…
there have always been those
who have sought out answers to questions
from one kind of divine being
or another over the many centuries…
there has always been sources of light –
both internal and external,
both within a person’s heart
or in the sky above.
A poet is like a mirror,
poetry is like a reflection…
a poet is who brings out
the emotions from within,
poetry is the spell
of a linguistic-magician.
Children paint poetic pictures
with their fingertips…
adults can emote poetry
with their eyes…
children read poetry
in the actions of their friends
and they hear poetry
from the lips of their parents…
both adults and children
inspire poetry all the time –
enough to make someone smile,
or enough to make someone cry.
Many flames make a burning furnace…
many words make a world…
many memories make a life…
many things make us feel inspired…
many experiences only poetry can make sense…
many forms of literature
can also be a life-saving cure…
many poetic dreams are born
under starlit night-skies…
many every-day influences
keep alive the light, the heat,
the flames, the energy,
and the poetry of a poet’s fire.
My Poem ‘The Passion of The Poet’
Love… blood… passion…
an explosion, an eruption…
an over-flow of emotion…
the feeling, the energy… the electricity…
the fast-breathing, the heart-beating…
the unstoppable flow of rejuvenation…
lovers tap into it… writers write with it…
musicians use it… artists create with it…
we were all made from birth in its image…
an excitement… an enlightenment…
a wish-fulfillment…
an enjoyment and a freeing of spirit…
a belief… a faith…
a way to feel as if you are both flying
at the same time that you are sinking
beneath an ocean of crashing waves –
a timeless moment… a connection beyond touch…
a vibration like the strings
of some kind of cosmic-instrument…
an addictive rush… an unquestionable
recognizable look in the eye…
the expression on the face…
the language of the body –
the unbounded physicality…
the spark… the fire…
the unquestionable desire…
when I am writing, when I am composing a new poem –
I know it straight away,
and I know where it comes from,
because I have seen its face so many times,
but some days it is like
the kiss of an angel on my cheek
and others it is like I have been hit
squarely between the eyes by a bull…
it’s like jumping into the sea off of a pier…
it feels magical, incredible –
and just trying to describe
what I am feeling in my heart
just makes me feel it more and more…
a true expression of your heart’s desire,
when done without hesitation,
can only lead you in one direction…
when you just stop,
and listen, and you hear
that voice of inspiration,
there is only one thing
that can possibly follow:
love… blood… passion.
My Poem ‘No comparison’
I’ve walked the Earth…
I’ve searched the stars…
I’ve been waiting to be
with you all my life…
I’ve seen love in the eyes of others –
but I have never seen a love
as breathtaking as ours.
It began before we met…
it started when our heart’s
first began beating…
it started when we were born
of our parents under the sunlight
that constantly shines down
upon our beautiful planet…
it all began before even
the first birds began tweeting.
You and I, me and you –
we are one of a kind,
we are unbelievably special…
we make new music together
every time we speak…
we fall in love with each other
over and over again…
we would not be the same people
without each other,
nor would we be as happy as can be…
we are one and the same,
and that is something
that could only we could ever understand.
It’s because of you
that my heart feels like
it is beating a thousand times a second…
it’s because of you
that nothing could ever compare…
it’s because of you
that I believe that for each
and every one of us God has a plan…
it’s because of you
that I look at your picture
at all hours of the day
and I dream of being with you
over and over again
within every timeless moment that I stare.
I have never loved anyone like I love you…
I have never thanked God more for anything
than I do when I thank him for you…
you have been the most beautiful to me
since the first picture that I saw of you…
because you are my passion,
because you are my obsession,
because you are my addiction,
because in all the world,
because on all the planets
that circle those distant lights of perfection,
there is nothing and no one
as gorgeous, nor as amazing, as you…
because, Melissa, to me, to you,
there is no comparison.
Mark The Poet 