I was once a poet of a single poem…
I was once a dreamer of a dream…
I was once a rambler of fields of gold…
I was once a boy who loved, who laughed,
and who saw the world with an eternally optimistic eye…
I was once a believer in everything that I saw,
everything that I heard, and in everyone whom I met;
however, over time, I was struck
by multiple instances of unpredictability
that changed the course of my life forever…
I can still remember who I was and where I was
when so many of the things that happened
to me left their mark upon me…
I can can still remember writing that first verse,
that first step, that first gift of adoration and love
which was the spark of inspiration that I needed
to start the fire of creativity within me
that has only grown in size, heat, and ferocity,
as I have allowed myself to evolve as a writer
and as an author into whatever, whomever,
wherever I believe I have always been destined to be…
unlike some, I have never been afraid of words;
in fact, words are powerful and sacred to me
in ways that are sometimes hard to describe -
because words matter to me,
because words energise me,
because words feel so natural to me,
and whenever I write a collection of words,
especially poetry, I feel like I am writing something
that only I could write and something
that I do not require anyone but me to understand…
a sphere, a sound, a multiverse, a path, a story -
throughout each of my eras and experiences
as a poet and a writer, I have witnessed
change happen around me,
as well as change happen within me,
that has sometimes been challenging to face,
to overcome, and to experience;
however, I know that I have no choice
but to continue doing what I know I have to do:
to keep going, to keep dreaming, to keep writing,
to keep being fascinated by things and by people,
to keep my eyes, my ears, and my mind open -
because there are times when everyone
has to admit that things are different
from what and how they expected them to be,
and which is why it is always helpful in certain situations
to take a moment to look, to listen, to consider,
and then count to ten before making a decision
about what to do, where to go,
and about who they want to be
in the next phase of their future.
today
My Poem “Angels of Salvation”
Today is a day for fireworks! Today is a time for celebration! Now is a time when people around the world gather together, make plans, feel thankful, and once again hold hands - and it is at this time of the year, when the days are short and when daylight is precious, when people brave the cold and follow the lights that they see, as they venture out into the dark to find and discover seasonal treats that always bring people some much needed joy to their life and make both adults and children laugh. Today, now, any day, any time, is always the right day and the right time to reach out and tell someone what they mean to you and give them the gift of explaining to them what they have that no one else has... today, every day, someone you know might need you more than you know - and all that they need is someone, anyone, to tell them that if they need someone to speak to about how they feel about anything, they have you - and to some people that is like the feeling of elation and salvation that the survivor of a sunken ship feels after they once again finally find dry land. Today, like every day, for most people can be like undertaking an uphill struggle and not knowing what they will find when they finally reach the top - which is why friends, coworkers, family members, forgotten acquaintances, even blink and you miss them strangers who might you see on the street are important, because they have the power to give everyone who needs it the fuel, the spark, the energy, the boost to light up someone's sky and remind everybody who needs to be reminded that all is never always lost and there are heroes out there in the world who will do what they can, when they can, for whomever they can, no matter the cost, and who will gladly sacrifice what they have to throw an arm of comfort around those who feel as if they have no one to turn to and no where else to go - and those people are true Angels of Salvation.
My Poem “Overlap”
Every day overlaps with the last…
every day everybody’s thoughts
overlap with their memories of the past…
every day people realize that there
are things that are harder to distance
themselves from because of the tangle
of lose threads that continue to dangle
from the fray of where we have been…
every day the stories of people
far and wide become connected
to one another as if by fate
in ways that can sometimes feel like a dream…
every day in this world people from
the past, the present, and the future
meet and metaphysically shake hands,
because some things, like music,
cross time and space and find
mutual friends who they feel understand them…
every day everybody wades deep
into the ocean of life and consciousness –
especially while they are asleep,
and everybody can find themselves
stuck in a whirlpool from which
it can be hard to break free…
every day as we get older
every day feels like it is here, there,
and then gone again in a flash…
every day is new and unique –
however, more often than not,
the events of yesterday, today,
and tomorrow will always
find a way to invariably overlap.
My Poem “Walk On Water”
Today, pretty much everybody
here in the UK, is literally
having to “walk on water”…
let’s just say that the weather
could be a lot better than it is
and if you are “caught short”,
and you are not at least
carrying an umbrella,
then it goes without saying
that you are going to have to
either stay undercover
for as long as you can,
or, if you do need to go somewhere
in particular, you may have to
go “hell for leather” and run
as fast as you can –
as if you were some kind of
soaking-wet cheetah.
We here in the UK could talk adnorsism
about our eccentric and ever-changing
weather – in fact it is favourite
subject of small-talk…
we here in the UK can see
both the beauty of a summer’s day
as well as, on occasion, the water-droplets of a rain storm –
however, most stiff-upper-lip British
people would much rather observe
rain falling while looking out of the window,
perhaps from the comfort of their own homes,
instead of having to walk out of their front-door
and immediately have to find their footing,
while trying to keep calm, carry on,
and simultaneously having to
follow the example of the Messiah
and walk on water.
“Yesterday/Today”
“Yesterday/Today – this was me, and this is who I am today… Life changes people in so many ways – both good and bad… Life slowly takes away our innocence and over time we can become unrecognizable to ourselves – but, no matter how old we get, or what we go through in our lives, there always remains a part of us that will endure until the day we die.” – Me
My Poem ‘Scorching’
Days like this are filled with energy…
days like this when it is hot and sunny…
days like this are what inspire me…
days like this when I am free to be,
without four walls constantly surrounding me,
are precious and they go by so fast
that sometimes I can mistake my memories
of such days as dreams…
days like this are special…
days like this are perfect and beautiful…
days like this feel wonderful…
days like this are when you want so badly
to be with the one you love…
the sunshine is so divine…
the summer air is intoxicating…
seeing everybody basking
in the bright light feels gratifying.
Poetry presents itself in infinite ways:
through colour, through art,
through temptations to the senses,
through songs, through signs…
when you know and when you have felt
the power of the sun and its energy
running through your veins,
the inspiration and the expression
that you can conjure afterwards
is worth all the dark and cloudy days
through which you have been living and waiting…
no matter if you are walking
the avenues of New York City,
or sitting on a porch
in Georgia with your soulmate –
as long as the sun is high in the sky
and the breeze is cool
the unmistakable flood of natural energy
that is all around you
can be all that you need
to fuel all that you do,
all that you think,
and all that you feel.
Our world turns silently and perfectly
in a universe surrounded by life,
light, and wonders that are so infinite in number
that they both tell their own story
and also become a part of the story
of the world who looks upon them…
days like today are like enjoying every mouthful
of your favourite meal…
days like today drive the paint-brush of an artist
and they can inspire the words
that a writer writes with their pen…
the promise of a day as beautiful as today is exciting…
days like today can get you hooked on a feeling
and on a wave of believing…
days like today are worth keeping…
days like today can be described perfectly
with a single word: “scorching”.
My Poem ‘The Day of Love’
When we fall in love
we are no longer in control
of our mind, our body,
our soul, our heart…
when we fall in love
we are literally falling
into an unknown world…
when we fall in love
we find ourselves at the start
of a journey of discovery
without a discernible path…
when we fall in love
we sometimes do things
that we have never done before
and we act on instincts and emotions
that transcend words.
Valentines day is the day of love,
but you can fall in love
and show love every hour
of every day of every week…
Valentines day is a day to be
grateful that you are loved
and that you have someone to love…
Valentines day is and always has been
a day that speaks to who I am
and what makes me happy.
Love is the most important
emotion in the universe…
love is what gives life its true meaning…
love is a blessing and should never
be thought of as a curse…
love is what keeps a heart beating
and it is what makes life worth living.
Without love in our lives
the world is a much darker place…
without love in our lives
we cannot see the beauty
that is right there besides us…
without love in our lives
we cannot wear the expression
of true joy and contentment on our face…
without love in our lives
we would not be able to see
that we all have a little piece of heaven
right here with us on Earth.
Today is the day to open your heart
and to let the best of you out
so that it may be seen and felt
by those who every day
matter the most to you above all else…
especially today, on this day like no other…
Valentines day, the day of love.
My Poem ‘The Green Day’
Today is the day
that we celebrate
the man, the legend,
and Ireland’s favourite saint…
today is the day
when we all want to be Irish,
even if it is just for 24-hours,
and when we all have an excuse,
if we need one,
to wear something green…
today is the day
when I am sure that even from space
the entire planet glows with an emerald light…
today is the day
that may only be remembered by some
through a haze of memory
as if it were just all a part of a dream.
Shamrocks are on show;
Irish beer flows;
everywhere you look green is all that see;
everybody from morning ’til night
raises their glasses
and feels their spirits rise
and fly free.
Green, to me, has always represented life,
abundance, growth, and energy;
today on Saint Patrick’s day
we can all know and see the face divinity;
green, to me, has always felt ethereal
and magical in some way;
today on Saint Patrick’s day
we can all be filled with a strength
to get through anything in life,
come what may.
God has always had his messengers on Earth,
and for centuries they have spread
the meaning of life throughout the world
through his teachings;
the meaning of life is to love and be loved,
however learning how to do so
comes in a variety of different ways;
living your life to its fullest is important
because life is precious
and the time that we have to live is fleeting;
it is a great thing
to be able to share the joy of life,
and there is no better time or way
to be our most human of selves
than on the day of green
that is Saint Patrick’s day.
My Poem ‘One of those days’
Today is one of those days
when wherever you look
the sun is in your eyes;
today is one of those days
when you want to walk
barefoot in the park
on the soft green grass;
today is one of those days
when nature comes alive for everyone
and anybody can bask
in the beauty of the world;
today is one of those days
when things happen that are beyond words;
today is one of those days
when people are having picnics;
today is one of those days
when the colours of the flowers
and the intense blue of the sky
glows as if they were exemplifying
the meaning of nature;
today is one of those days
that is perfect for a scoop or two of ice-cream;
today is one of those days
when children feel in their element;
today is one of those days
which feels like it is a dream;
today is one of those days
which feels like a constant banquet
to all your senses;
today is one of those days when everyone
should be outside in the sun;
today is one of those days
that is perfect for having all kinds of fun;
today is one of those days
when you can sit down and write,
paint, read, and listen to the world
and feel content;
today is one of those days
that is meant to be shared
because it is one of those days
that reminds everybody what is truly important;
today is one of those days
when I look around and I remember
memories of similar days
that looked as beautiful as today;
today is one of those days
which are precious to me in so many ways;
today is one of those days
when I feel intoxicated
by the energy of the sun’s rays;
today is one of those days…
My Poem ‘3/14/15’
Today is the 14th of March;
today feels like a Sunday,
however it is in fact a Saturday;
today feels like, in some way,
I have stepped out of the dark;
and today is also a great day,
because today is my Mum and Dad’s Anniversary –
and today, more than any other,
I am reminded about how my parents
absolutely love each other in every way.
Today is also ‘International Pi Day’ –
a day in which some people celebrate
the mathematical constant
that has no discernible end;
and, as I feel change happening all around me,
I am also reminded of the unchanging constants
in my life – namely my family:
on whom, I know I can always depend.
I have many constants in my life:
hope, poetry, music, optimism,
memory, thought, family, connections –
and when I feel them and I understand them
for what they are and for what they mean to me,
nothing else matters;
the pain of the past fades away,
and just being thankful for what I do have
always keeps the wolf, that sometimes visits me
at all times of the night or day, at bay.
Today feels like the perfect day
to hold on tight to the best thing in my life;
today feels like I am understanding something profound
with the wonderful gifts of hindsight, and foresight.
My heart feels brand new;
I am breathing fresh air now
that makes me feel light-headed –
as if I were experiencing high-altitude hypoxia
on top of a mountain;
my mind is reaching out into the big blue;
I am changing again;
I feel like I have just woken up
from an interesting dream, and come full-circle;
and today is the 14th of March, 2015.
Mark The Poet 