Poetry

Coming Soon: The Storyteller

Mark Hastings books, Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone!

I am thrilled to announce that my ninth official poetry collection, ‘The Storyteller’, will be available to purchase on February 2, 2025, in hardback and as an ebook from Amazon.

Filled with over 60 previously unpublished poems, ‘The Storyteller’ is a collection of poetry, as well an insight into the mind and the life of a writer and an author of stories – not to mention an exploration and an explanation of why storytelling is important and has always been important to humanity, as well as to life itself.

From the back cover:

I always wanted to be a Storyteller…

As we all grow, we all change and we all realise that even our heroes can bleed, even our heroes can cry, even our heroes are sometimes tested to their limits, and even our heroes are unable to live forever.

I have always believed that I am here for a reason and I have a purpose to live, to explore, and to be inspired by what I find, and by whom I meet along my journey, and to tell the stories that I believe were always waiting for me to tell – because I believe I am the only one who can tell some stories as they have always been meant to be told.

You can check out ‘The Storyteller’ on Amazon now, and as soon as it is available to purchase physically, as well as digitally, on February 2nd, I will share a link to a purchase a copy right away.

-Mark

My Poem “Redux”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , 
Worlds collide all the time…
things change every day…
stories begin and then come to an end -
sometimes without warning,
and without a satisfying conclusion…
the last word of someone is spoken,
the line of a character is uttered -
and then the curtain falls,
the lights go out,
and everything goes dark…
however, when some worlds collide,
a brand new world dawns,
a new wave of energy rises,
a story is retold in a new way,
and someone’s last words echo
and follow them into the next world
and the new phase of existence
that they find themselves now living.

The end of one road does not mean
the end of the journey in its entirety -
because when you leave a road
you have been on for a long time
you discover new paths
that could not have been seen before,
because you were unable to find them…
it is only when we are asked to reevaluate
where we have been, what we have done,
where we want to go, what we want to do next,
that we get the opportunity to go back -
physically, or perhaps figuratively speaking -
and undo what, and perhaps to whom,
we have been bound to for so long
and renew our relationship with things,
and with people, that has come to a point
when a test is warranted to make sure that
we are not in a situation where we are on our way
to somewhere we will not feel fulfilled, happy,
nor able to grow, learn, and see
that who and what are,
and who we are meant to be,
requires us to take the steps
that need to be taken.

The renewal of something that has
always been profound to you
can happen if you want it to -
but ultimately you might have to resist
what your head is telling you
and go with what your heart
tells you to do instead…
if you feel as if the destruction
of something, or somewhere -
even if that place only exists in your own mind
and is a fantasy world within a story -
myths and legends tell of times of war,
of sacrifice, and of end times;
however, at the end of every tale
of the end of every world,
there is always a next life that is promised,
there is always a future state that awaits,
there is always a hope of finding answers
to all the questions that you have asked in the past,
which speaks to the need of humanity
to not fear the unknown and embrace
what always has to happen -
and that is why I believe that nothing is impossible,
and everything and everyone might one day find out
that the universe isn’t what we think it is,
because the cycle of existence may be
some sort of cosmic phenomenon
that everything experiences,
and we are constantly rejuvenated,
reincarnated, and regenerated,
in a repeating and continuous process of redux.

The Comeback Kid – republished

Mark Hastings books, Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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! 😊

Poet of the Multiverse – republished

Mark Hastings books, Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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!

Too Close To The Sun – republished

Mark Hastings books, Poetry, Short-story , , , , , , , , , ,

My short-story and poetry collection ‘Too Close To The Sun’ is once again available to buy from Amazon in its new hardcover edition – but now with a brand new cover, and including a never before published short-story called ‘Nora’.

The stories and poems within ‘Too Close To The Sun’ represent a shift, as well as an experimentation phase, in my journey as a writer and an author. When it was first published in 2016, I knew that ‘Too Close to the Sun’, was somewhat of a new beginning and a new direction for me – and the stories and poems within are symbolic of what kind of writer and storyteller I have grown to become, and what kind of stories I am interested in telling.

“A sad story about the end of the line for a lonely ghost girl. The thrilling tale about the devilish gift of a psychic psychopathic psychotherapist. A word of warning about the wicked “Witch in The Well”. A ray of hope in form of a story about a New York City bartender who discovers that there is more to life, and to death, than they could ever have imagined. A vision of another universe where a vengeful Vampire King finds love, but who must also embrace his fate. The tale of a dragon and a hero – who both discover they are not who they think they are.

Short-stories and poems of strange, magical, and extraordinary other realities that exist on the other side of doors that lead to other worlds and possibilities that can be found when you venture too close to the sun.”

Get your copy of the brand new hardback version of ‘Too Close To The Sun’ on Amazon now! 😎

The Dreamer and The Dream – republished

Mark Hastings books, Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My fourth book, and my fourth poetry collection, ‘The Dreamer and The Dream’, is once again available to buy from Amazon in its new hardcover edition.

Originally published in 2015, my book ‘The Dreamer and The Dream’, contains some of my favourite poems that I have written – poems that tell you so much about what matters to me on a personal level, what drives me every day, why I am a poet, and also allowing me to express my feelings for those who mean the most to me, and who inspire me every second of every day.

‘The Dreamer and The Dream’, and its poems within, is the book, and the poetry of mine, that I have shared with more people than all others, because there is so much to discover about me within, as well as so much that I wanted to say. It’s also the book that, when I wrote and I published the poems within, made me realise who I was and who I always wanted to be: a poetry, a writer, not to mention a storyteller.

Get your copy of ‘The Dreamer and The Dream’ from Amazon now and here! 😊

The Eternal Boy – republished

Mark Hastings books, Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Get your copy of the republished version (hardcover version) of my third book, and my third poetry collection, ‘The Eternal Boy’, which was originally published in 2015.

‘The Eternal Boy’ symbolises another step upon my journey as a poet, as a writer, and as an author – as well as me attempting to capture the change and the evolution in myself that I felt I was going through at the time, and also my exploration of some of the many states that we all sometimes have to live through at different and varied stages in our lives.

There are poems within ‘The Eternal Boy’ that I think about all the time, and which I think perfectly capture who I am and who I always want to be.

Get the new hardcover version of ‘The Eternal Boy’ here!

-Mark

My Poem “Into it”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 
We all know what it is like
to be “into something”,
or to be “into someone”…
we all know what it is like
to spend most of the hours when we are awake,
and to spend many of the hours when we are asleep,
thinking about, imagining, and wanting to return
to a place, to a time, and to a person
as soon as possible…
we all know what it is like
to be “into the idea” and “into the groove”
of something that gives us a sense of purpose,
direction, and a feeling that we are not
just going through the same process of life
as we have been through before
but we are doing what is right
and what is meaningful to us…
we all know what it is like
to be into a game that is playing out before us,
which we feel like we are in a position
to have an impact upon the outcome of,
in which the meeting of multiple parties
who have been called to engage with one another
in a contest that will determine whether
or not the road of fate has chosen them
for a reason that cannot be known
until the time is right…
we all know what is it like to be drawn into a story -
to be spellbound and speechless as we read,
or as we listen, to a tale being told to us -
that has a power to it that goes beyond
the words being used, as well as above,
and below, the world around us that we know…
we know it is like to be into a headspace
within which we find ourselves connecting
with something that resonates with us,
something that speaks to us,
something that teaches us,
something that makes sense
of what we have been thinking about and feeling
without knowing that there are always
messengers to deliver answers to us,
that change the way we look at ourselves…
we all know what it is like to be engrossed,
to be intoxicated, and to be addicted to something
that we didn’t know would become so
impactful and important to us…
we all know what it is like to feel lost,
and we all know what it is like to feel found -
which is why when we feel as if
we have become caught in stream
of energy and emotion that is not
just a result of our own thoughts and actions
but a mixture and a mindset
of something else that is different from us,
but connected to us,
we can find ourselves within something so deeply
that it is always hard to get out of it,
because of how much we are into it.

My Poem “The Fall of Autumn”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 
No season shows just how much things can change,
but also repeat, better than Autumn -
when the leaves of the trees change colour
and then detach from the branches
they have been clinging to,
and then spiral to the ground…
no season shows the true depths
of colour and light than the season
when pumpkins are harvested for Halloween
and “trick or treaters” of all ages
collect offerings of candy
as they venture around their neighbourhood…
no season shows what nature is capable of
like the days of the months
when every type of weather
can be witnessed and people
have to expect the unexpected…
no season shows just how much
magic there is to be found around the world,
as well as in universe,
than the nights when you can look up
and witness the spectacle of an aurora,
the close proximity of a comet as it races by,
a Full Moon in the sky,
or the sight of the constellations
whose stars appear to shine
brighter than they might seem to be
at any other time of the year
for all those who are celestially fascinated…
no season shows so many of the things
we all need in this life, but which
we all might sometimes take for granted -
which is why it is always important
to be thankful for what we have in our lives
and for those who we love…
no season shows us how much we have
in common with each other,
and how much we are capable of
understanding one another,
than the season when we all find ourselves
under the umbrella of what falls upon us 
and what we choose to not be afraid of,
because we have faith that after a period
of time and transition we will be ready to face
what the future holds -
and there is no season to be enthralled by everything that is going on around us
than at the time of the fall of Autumn.

My Poem “Sounds and Voices”

Mark Hastings Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 
There are some sounds
and there are some voices
that for some reason
always stand out
above all others…
there are some sounds
and there are some voices that,
when we hear them,
are immediately able to transport us
within our minds to a particular place
and to a particular time…
there are some sounds
and there are some voices
that are like music to our ears,
because we can hear within
some sounds and some voices
something akin to magic -
because what we hear
can make us feel something
that we might not have felt before,
or remind us of what we once felt
at a point in our lives that seems
a long time ago, and far away from
where we now finds ourselves…
there are some sounds
and there are some voices
that are so unique and so timeless
that any imitation of them
could never hope to capture
why some sounds and some voices
will resonate in the same way 
that they always will.

Composers have their own way of composing…
musicians have their preferred instrument
and their favourite style of playing…
singers have their own way of singing…
actors have their own method
when they are acting…
artists have their own process
when they are creating…
writers have their own reasons
why they write what they write,
as well as when and where they write -
and most of the time their ideas about
what they write about
seem to come to them
as if from out of nowhere,
as well as being a combination of
both the familiar and the new,
as if being repeated, remixed,
and remade from a different point of view.

Some sounds and some voices
stay with us all our lives…
some sounds and some voices never change,
even as we grow older…
some sounds and some voices
last longer than others
because they have something about them
that says more about their source
that can be definitively described…
some sounds and some voices
we return to time and again
because they fill us with joy,
happiness, hope, echoes of memories,
love, and experiences,
as well as recollections
of times of sadness, loss, grief,
and wishes that we could
return to somewhere,
to once again be with someone,
because we would give anything
to have more time to say
what we wish we had said
when we had the time to say it,
because there are some sounds
and there are some voices
that we could never forget.