Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

Month: August 2020

  • Poem: Escape to a Land of Slumber – 31/08/20

    Poem: Escape to a Land of Slumber – 31/08/20

    I escape into a land of slumber,
where I softly achieve my goal,
to forget and feel nothing,
I am enveloped by reaching fingertips of
diamonds and solid gold.
 
They caress me with a richness
I’ve never known,
toy with me,
play with me,
these dancing hands I feel not,
though within them, I am at home.
 
I am deep in rest,
my back the fingers stroke,
and they play with my hair,
this escape is full of my hope,
because while I’m away in mind,
I am here and now,
though some would say my consciousness is not.
 
I relish these afternoon escapes,
the siestas which take me away
to a feeling of nothingness,
of wanted emptiness,
nothing here is awry,
nothing is astray.
 
And close to waking I experience
the most amazing thing,
I rouse slowly and recollect
remnants of a dream,
someone perhaps who I have missed
without realising?
Or perhaps I simply am recalling them fondly.
 
I rarely remember my dreams,
and when I do,
the fragment slips from memory,
perhaps the dream was a message,
or something else –
I nod knowingly –
maybe revelations will unfold naturally.

© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

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  • Poem: Eclipsed – 30/08/20

    Poem: Eclipsed – 30/08/20

    You eclipsed yourself onto my heart,
etched yourself amongst Sun and stars,
a silhouette of burnished red and brown,
a luminescent glow of you all around.
 
Your pattern, your shape,
my mind recalls,
the beauty of your face,
your expression,
I’m in thrall,
and I remember the smiles we shared,
so many days and nights together,
I am basking in the memory of your glow,
ghostly light upon me thrown,
alabaster shine upon us both.
 
Hand in hand,
you took me into your view,
fingertips laced together,
we shone, reflections of youth,
and together we created an energy unseen
by the lower land,
eclipsing my heart as you
tightly grasped my hand.
 
What will happen, dear,
when we must part?
The irreconcilable moment when
hand leaves hand,
and hearts extract entwined valves
from each other,
for one must depart.
 
I know this time will come and to it,
I revolt, as I say,
I wish I could stay in your presence,
please don’t desert me,
please remain.
 
I cannot do this on my own,
I imagine myself sadly call,
I’ll gaze into your light,
continue to further fall, 
fall further, and fall into the night.

© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Photo by JOSHUA COLEMAN on Unsplash

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  • Poem: My Body is a River – 30/08/20

    Poem: My Body is a River – 30/08/20

    My body is a river,
I rush over you,
soothing as a salve or balm,
running over your pebbles,
smoothing their jagged forms.
 
My delicate hands dance,
my currents rise and fall,
to you,
my body is a river,
with my flow
I can cure you of all.
 
Aching, yearning,
pain which must be departing,
despairing,
depression,
lonely,
to cleanse you of these is my calling.
 
So, my liquid licks and laps
against your shore,
the in-between where
hunger and pain are raw,
unknown, a certain calling,
your fingers reach for me,
I flush you with calm respite,
truthful news,
release from your gloom.
 
You no longer suffer,
you are brave
for having survived your internal ravaging,
but because my body is a river,
you were permitted this vital saving.

© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Photo by Jessica Furtney on Unsplash

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  • Poem: They Called You Average – 28/08/20

    Poem: They Called You Average – 28/08/20

    So, they called you average.
What is 'average' anyway?
Are you going to let their taunts get in your way?
Or will you rise, will you soar above the judgments, their negativity?
For some though, they’re more inclined to sink
and this image is more than dreary.

Some hearts can break at the slightest twinge
of criticism,
the human twang of strummed attack,
average, average, average,
is this what you are?
No, my darling, my dear,
I’ll speak of their words as if I’m 
breaking forth from Criticism’s prison with ease.

Awaken at every moment that you’re challenged
about who you are,
average is as average does,
this you are not,
and let me tell you this:
these taunts are coming from afar.

They are nonsense,
they are preying upon your insecurities,
in fact, can you now hear the echoes of their words
within the reverberation of your quiet words,
their intentions clearly seen?

Because to bring another down is cowardly and unkind,
why use such words with such power
to cause a sense of worthlessness,
a light removed from their eyes?
The shine of self-confidence and hope can sadly lose their gleam.

But average you are not,
never,
you outshine those letters arranged and intended cruelly,
hear my words instead,
you are amazing and strong and true,
allow your confidence to rise through and through.

© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Photo by Houcine Ncib on Unsplash

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  • Sunshine Blogger Award Gratitude and Nomination – 27/08/20

    Sunshine Blogger Award Gratitude and Nomination – 27/08/20

    Thank you so much to the amazing and kind-hearted Shruba for nominating me for the Sunshine Blogger Award! Shruba’s writing is beautiful and takes me on a journey into her world, always, and makes me feel like I want to stay just that little longer to linger in her world. She paints pictures so wonderfully and I encourage you all to check out her blog Lemongrass for an in-depth read.

    According to online sources, the Sunshine Blogger Award is an award given to bloggers by other bloggers who inspire and cause positivity within the blogging community. It also allows newer bloggers to have their work showcased before others. I am humbled that Shruba feels that I inspire and create positivity through my writing, and am so thankful for her nomination.  

    The Rules

    • Thank the blogger who nominated you
    • Remember to list the rules and indicate your award nomination by including the logo
    • Answer the questions that has been given to you
    • Nominate 11 bloggers who inspire you (or as many as you can, no pressure, since it has been brought to my notice that a lot of the emerging bloggers are yet to build their social circle on the platform)
    • Make a new list of 11 questions for your nominees (please keep them interesting and as interactive as you can think of, so everyone involved can enjoy this process)

    Shruba’s Questions along with my Answers

    1. Are you a tea or coffee person?
      Definitely a coffee person. Only rarely will I have tea, and that’s generally when I’ve had too much coffee. The justification is that tea has less caffeine, but is still a comforting beverage to sip on.

    2. Do you have a sibling(s), what are they like?
      I have younger brothers who are twins and they are kind, studious, disciplined and tenacious.

    3. Do you own a pet, include their picture in your post and if you don’t have any, would you like to have one?
      I used to have pets but no longer. I would love to have another pet, probably a dog again. It’s nice to have that unconditional companionship and someone to hug or pat at the end of a tiring or stressful day. A companion to keep me company and be understanding without actually saying a single thing.  

    4. What’s the most interesting TV series that you have watched?
      I don’t generally watch that much television at all, but I enjoyed Australian Ninja Warrior, a spin off of the Japanese show, Sasuke, in which competitors have to navigate extreme obstacle course challenges to then reign supreme as the Australian Ninja Warrior. Watching contestants can be extremely nail-biting at times, and I was constantly drawn to cheering loudly for them as though I was in the stadium itself!

    5. If you had to recommend a book to someone who generally hates reading, which one would it be?
      Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. I enjoyed getting lost in the Harry Potter series as a young girl and for someone new to reading, I think that that person would enjoy the magical world created within those pages and become immersed in the words, wanting to continue on reading the series. To someone who wants to experience vivid, metaphor-rich poetry, I would recommend Sylvia Plath’s collection, ‘Ariel’ because I love this collection so much and want others to experience it, too.

    6. What do you prefer reading more in blogs? Poetry/short story/interviews/reviews/personal rants/historical articles? (You name it, if not on this list)
      Poetry, definitely. I do enjoy rants from time to time, but my main focus is on reading poetry online.  

    7. What’s your favourite music band or album? (Share a link!)
      My musical taste varies so I don’t have one specific album or band that I’d like to share with you, although I am currently listening to a live streaming of trance and progressive music that I am enjoying so I will share this link with you.

    8. Did you ever consider blogging as a source of income? What’s your views on it?
      No, I purely view it as a means of enjoyment for myself, in that I can share my work with others and make ties within the community. I really love finding new blogs and writers whose work I can connect with and feel that sense of closeness when I read their words. I personally find ads on blogs to be somewhat cluttering and feel they distract from a blog, and I wouldn’t want them on my own.

    9. How many drafts do you make before you finally publish something? There’s no set amount of drafts that I make, it completely depends on the content. Sometimes it’s two, sometimes more, but the extra ones really only involve a couple of word changes here and there so I wouldn’t necessarily call them further drafts.  

    10. Would you call yourself cautious or carefree?
      I can identify with being both cautious and carefree, although I would describe myself probably as more cautious and considered, in that I take time to make a decision these days, rather than being impulsive like how I once was.

    11. What’s your favourite flower?
      I don’t have just one, but I would have to say I do love sunflowers, gerberas, and roses.

    my questions

    1. What would you give someone who has everything?
    2. What would you most enjoy doing if you were to stay in on a Saturday night?
    3. Who is your favourite author (and your favourite book of theirs) and why?
    4. How long have you been blogging on WordPress for?
    5. What type of blogs do you gravitate towards reading?
    6. What type of art are you drawn to? Name an artist or two whose work inspires you.
    7. How would you encourage someone who wants to get into writing to express themselves but admits to having trouble creatively putting pen to paper?
    8. What’s your ultimate comfort dish to have when you’re stressed out?
    9. What do you think is one of your strongest posts? Share the link, if you like!
    10. Where would you most like to visit and why?
    11. What is it about the WordPress community that you love the most?

    My Nominees:

    Fauxcroft

    mysocalledpoetry – So-called Poetry of Biba

    Poet of the Light – Whispers of a Poet’s Heart

    Maya – Mayaland

    Dee – Awayfromthemaddingcrowd

    Nawazish – The Lightening Bug

    Annette Kalandros – Hearing the Mermaids Sing

    T.N. – The Amateur’s Quill

    Brooke J. Cutler

    Benyin, as written by Benyin

    House of Heart

    Thanks once again to Shruba for this nomination – it was great fun to answer her questions, pose some of my own, and nominate my fellow bloggers. Please do take the time to explore their blogs — there is amazing work on their pages!

  • Poem: Finding the Inner Strength – 26/08/20

    Poem: Finding the Inner Strength – 26/08/20

    I am stronger than I perceive myself to be,
even with the massive doubts I cast upon me,
I am not withering inside,
shadows covering my soul,
no, I am strong,
almost invincible.

I am positive,
even though I wonder and question my skills,
I am wise even if I’m struggling,
I can make it through this,
stand erect,
proudly,
I will, I will, I will.

Heaven knows how hard I am trying to 'be',
trying to make it through struggles,
my internal catastrophes.

I will wear a smile,
stop asking others so many questions,
for guidance, assurance,
validation,

I will become the confident woman I still am,
not once was, but who I am still,
I will direct myself through life stridently,
with my wooden oars,
glide elegantly through the current, I will.

I’ll guide this rowboat on a path of my own,
I’ll stop this nonsense swimming in my head,
this overwhelming self-doubt,
and I’ll convince myself that there’s nothing to fear,
I will make it through these trying times,
just watch me, my dears.

© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

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  • Poem: After a Burst of Positivity – 25/08/20

    Poem: After a Burst of Positivity – 25/08/20

    It doesn’t matter how bad life gets,
hope can still trickle into view,
positivity like a painted, beaming smile
on a canvas reminding us that
a positive perspective is the
correct view.
 
No need to succumb to despair,
I know it can be difficult
but know there will always be at least someone there
with a shine in their eyes,
an offered brightness to your day.
 
And then with you,
an ability to look outside of yourself,
not introvert,
but bloom,
share what’s within
our hearts, our minds,
what they have to say.
 
Do not view yourself in the negative light
some may wish to behold,
brighten, with hope,
you’ve so many tales to share and tell,
 
Broaden your horizons
further than just your despair,
because, in doing so,
you can inspire others to reach out
from their pains,
this can be accomplished almost anywhere.

© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash

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  • Poem: Aloud – 24/08/20

    Poem: Aloud – 24/08/20

    These four walls are like a haven
but to some, they could be misconstrued as a prison.
I choose to reside here, taking my meals and my naps,
 
speaking at length, researching, creating, typing in bursts,
it is my little home, it is my little world,
and I only leave when I’ve need to –
 
I’m isolating myself, I know.
 
I should be downstairs,
spending time with my others,
socialising, eating together, taking tea together and our suppers,
 
but I somehow just want to be alone,
I reach out when I feel on my own,
but, the fact of the matter is, I’m learning to like my own company.
 
No desperate yearning for an unknown other,
to fulfil my life, to make me feel as though
I’m emotionally satisfied,
 
no ongoing calls to different people to
find the right one
in fact, I have enough love in my world to peruse,
 
and while alone, I can be whoever, whatever I want,
no need to put on false pretenses,
I can read, I can sleep with ease,
 
and the truth is that I know I won’t be judged
for spending time alone,
this is how I am getting to know myself.
 
And I’m really enjoying it,
I have to say this
aloud.

© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Photo by Leohoho on Unsplash

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  • Poem: Wildflowers – 23/08/20

    Poem: Wildflowers – 23/08/20

    Wildflowers aren’t only beautiful because they’re free,
they beckon to us from between the blades of grass,
thick trunks of trees,
their scent permeates the fields,
tickles our noses when we bend to admire,
we must understand their beauty’s power.
 
They are softer in texture than they look,
just like many of us, who carry our hearts hidden
within beating grasp of tightened fists,
scared, afraid to show ourselves to others,
in the magic that may unfold,
we should realise, like wildflowers,
we are wondrous, and should free ourselves,
herald our brightness to the days and
reign with our internal strength and power.
 
And at night we rest,
like wildflowers calling,
breathing quietly,
respiring,
and know that we can recharge 
like the blooms for the night,
rest in a group yet still in folded solitude,
our delights,
we will open once more in the morning,
if we dare be brave,
our arms outstretched like petals,
mouths wide open and yawning,
our hearts presently unfolding,
we call to be found like those 
wildflowers of the forest.

© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

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  • Poem: Murmur – 23/08/20

    Poem: Murmur – 23/08/20

    I murmur into the darkness,
whisper softly,
I breathe,
 
complex heart-song,
twisted tuning,
haunted melodies,
 
I open my eyes
only to see
a triptych of beauty,
 
artistic finery,
talent conjoined
with colour refined in shades only for me.
 
I murmur,
I murmur,
I murmur,
 
softly, now, see?
I traverse through my mind,
my brightness the spotlight
 
which allows me
to see the artist’s
work, one of a kind, freely.
 
Internally I heave,
and I breathe,
heavier still,
 
and I postulate that this
will be everything
that I have ever wanted,
 
needed,
been required
to ever see.

© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Image by Alexandr Ivanov from Pixabay

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