Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

Month: January 2021

  • Poem: Personal Growth and Sunshine – 31/01/21

    Poem: Personal Growth and Sunshine – 31/01/21

    The sunshine drips through my windowpane, 
    illuminating, brightening, my heart, my mind, 
    I am finally at peace, 
    there’s no need to search nor find, 
    I am satisfied, satisfied 
    with the breath of my life, 
    my soul it feels so light and kind. 

    Nevermore will I search arduously, 
    high and low, 
    painful, the path impatient but slow 
    for completion through others, 
    through acceptance and approval, 
    why, what is the point in it all?

    External throes, 
    moments wrestling in mental snow, 
    lack of understanding in ways that weren’t meant to be known. 

    I am within my aura of acceptance, 
    there’s a certain feeling of knowing and being, 
    truth and understanding,
    being comfortable within oneself is actually somewhat amazing, 
    this growth has occurred seemingly quickly, 
    but it has been many years in stagnant making, 
    unseen anticipation, 

    and now I’m finally here, 
    it’s time to work on others things, 
    but always being thankful and grateful for everything I have, 
    and the events, trials and tribulations I’ve experienced and seen, 

    I must know that there were others playing supportive hands too, 
    but most of all, 
    maturity and experiences have helped me make it through,
    I am blessed, 
    not the member of a group who felt unfairly damned.

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved. 
    Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash

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  • Poem: A Trio of Happy Bakers – 30/01/21

    Poem: A Trio of Happy Bakers – 30/01/21

    Wafting aromas of pastries from windowsills
    of homely cottages,
    welcoming me,
    engulfing me, 
    overwhelming my mind and tummy.

    Sweetened moments flit back into my mind, 
    the shared moments with family and friends
    as we baked and sung together, 
    to music, 
    joyfully along,
    side by side,
    these times were ours to experience, 
    and now for me to wistfully recall.

    Those moments, those friendships, 
    sadly fallen by the wayside, 
    but I will remember the sweetness of our smiles, 
    of our accumulative pairs of brightened eyes, 
    because before things went pear-shaped, 
    they were apple-shaped, 
    in pairs and trios were we, 
    nothing to be taken away from, 
    no pains, 
    only happiness to be seen.

    And at the end of the night, 
    when baking was complete and it was time to
    sample the delights, 
    we would delve joyfully into the creations, 
    no fear of weight or sugar content, 
    no, no, 
    of these we had no awareness or fright, 
    we’d indulge until we were full to the brim, 
    and still we wished we had more to fill ourselves with. 

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved. 
    Photo by Taylor Grote on Unsplash

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  • Poem: Land of Inbetween – 30/01/21

    Poem: Land of Inbetween – 30/01/21

    Overwhelmed, 
    called away from the line of duty, 
    what do I recall?
    What is there to own as mine?
    Treasures of memories from a trove.

    Responsibility must be taken, 
    I can encompass my decisions as a whole, 
    the knowledge that I’m assisting, 
    even in small increments, 
    helping growth. 

    Of course, I cannot change others’ weaknesses, 
    I cannot control their reactions and commotions, 
    that is one left for the yearbook, 
    something to reflect upon during the consideration of the
    year’s cessation. 

    They can and will either learn to sink or swim, 
    I cannot make the decisions for them, 
    only self-advocacy, 
    support, 
    and aiding achievements, 
    the look upon their faces when having gained a success, 
    the lilt in their voices when they’ve grown and a future’s been seen, 
    now that is something to cherish,
    the first sign of the land of Inbetween.

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved. 
    Photo by Shot by Cerqueira on Unsplash

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  • Poem: Morning Chatter – 29/01/21

    Poem: Morning Chatter – 29/01/21

    I’m all out of cares and concerns, 
    leave behind the airs and trials, 
    there is no haughtiness or sinister circumstances,
    view the alterations for miles.

    Those dreams which haunted the mind
    but only last night, 
    are they pointing to, 
    are they signalling signs? 
    Obscure and strange, 
    but there, in existence, to be analysed within the times?

    Truthfully, I cannot say, 
    the images were the makings of another, 
    only relayed to me the very next day, 
    broken sleep having saved, 
    in the morning, an important character, 
    the priors potent and frightening, 
    rattling, 
    yet intriguing,
    first morning light chatter.    

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved. 
    Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

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  • Poem: A Timely Smile – 28/01/21

    Poem: A Timely Smile – 28/01/21

    This smile, she is timely,
    she has arrived well and alive,
    with her presence her owner will revive,
    feel stronger,
    amazing,
    and whole.

    There were calls for her demise,
    suffocations of her interior,
    breath caught in her lungs,
    catching at the escape,
    wishing for the air never to be free nor fly,
    but now, a rapid sigh of relief,
    a time of kingly brightness and benevolence
    as a hand reaches out to warm and caress.

    The air no longer is dry, dead,
    nor stale,
    but the validity of her smile is it’s alive
    for all to see:
    we can see those teeth flash bright for miles and miles.

    And the succinct fact is the woman’s happy,
    she doesn’t need to be given this or that to be lively,
    she is creating her life as priority,
    her satisfaction as part of her personality,
    she’s no longer reaching out to all as an anomaly,
    wishing to appeal or appease,
    no, those moments begged for her to leave.

    She wasn’t required,
    she wasn’t necessary,
    but she is enough, enough,
    she calls freely,
    a triumphant self-awareness of her worth and truth,
    there’s no cause for her persistence to be belittled,
    for between those days and now there is
    much mental and physical distance to view.

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
    Photo by Vicky Hladynets on Unsplash

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  • Poem: Breaking News – 27/01/21

    Poem: Breaking News – 27/01/21

    The journey is almost over, 
    the pain, the suffering, the ailing, 
    all to be washed away from the nights and the mornings, 

    the bravery is there to be seen, 
    highs and lows, during so much time, 
    she’s been stoic throughout it all, 
    the therapy has not seized her courage, 
    or taken away her positivity,

    she’s been fighting and carrying on
    throughout what has sometimes been a struggle,
    demonstrating her resilience and capabilities. 

    Today’s the second last session, 
    she has strength within, 
    she has power throughout, 

    the flushing of medications promises
    one more attendance
    to be borne with a grin, 

    I am proud of her quiet resolve, 
    and with this illness 
    she has demonstrated the ability to combat the ill emotions, 
    upsets and suffering, 
    her coping strategies long ago set into motion,
    brightness in moving forward and re-focussing.

    She will walk away from this time with her head held high
    knowing she’s combatted this illness as though
    it’s barely stopped her,
    hardly stalled her in her tracks,
    hardly sent her life awry,

    she’s been able to fight through the side effects,
    has kept herself busy,
    has remained hopeful,
    even when she was feeling so poorly and weak,
    she approached it with the hope of a new tomorrow.

    And I know that when she strides away from that seat
    that final time,
    triumphant in heart, body and mind,
    she will feel oh, so fine
    that she’s combatted this
    in the best way she could have handled it,
    my gracious mother of mine.

    We await the opportunity to celebrate this milestone,
    hers and our relief together in due time.

     © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved. 
    Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash

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  • Poem: PRN – 26/01/21

    Poem: PRN – 26/01/21

    Look what they’ve done, 
    prescribed those tiny bullets,
    dissolving, smoking gun. 

    The lacklustre effect is taking, 
    lethargy, it is growing, 
    malaise, it is not helping, 
    boy, these tablets are not assisting. 

    But perhaps they’ll calm the mind
    in due time, 
    relax, replenish, 
    make the thoughts intertwine,
    as though ivy would, 
    or thin rope, 
    wound around and around, 
    gentle, 
    methodically, 
    the medication has brought hope. 

    Feeling less anxious now, 
    the PRN has made the world have less overwhelming, 
    in tow, 
    my ship is causing no drift, 
    I’m on crystalline waters, 
    with this agent, 
    there’s no need to think,
    the ability to relax is here and now,
    a wistful song, from inside my heart grows.
     
    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved. 
    Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash

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  • Poem: Not Quite a Love Song

    Poem: Not Quite a Love Song

    Allow the dripping of honey to coat the seconds together, 
    let the hearts join during the moments of playful banter, 
    but don’t permit the times to destroy the frivolity, 
    the joy, 
    the joviality, 
    to switch to seriousness, 
    to gruff, forlorn momentum,
    for the arrangement of seconds to become
    less than tidy. 

    There is not rhythm nor rhyme to analyse
    this time, 
    the now-saccharine aftertaste should wane, 
    and wane, and wane
    if it were to be misconstrued, 
    to take back the past would be in vain.

    This is not a love song, 
    this is not a calling to come along, 
    but what it is is a momentum, 
    a continuum, 
    from sadness through to healing, 
    learning to accept friendship amongst the dreaming.  

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved. 

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  • Poem: Celsius – 24/01/21

    Poem: Celsius – 24/01/21

    The heat takes to me as a tingle on my skin, 
    raised endorphins still allow the stinging in, 
    I feel faint, 
    this warmth I hate, 
    others are grateful, 
    the cool change I await. 

    Sweat begins to pool at the small of my back, 
    the nape of my neck, 
    I struggle, 
    looking for relief, 
    won’t the singeing rays abate?
    Temperamental, hissing under my breath, 
    I await, I await, the cool change yet. 

    Some glorify this heat, 
    dancing in its smiles and welcoming arms, 
    but I am grumpy, dehydrated, 
    sulking, 
    this heatwave, 
    it is unwanted,
    won’t its ferocity become placid?

    Perhaps I should be gracious and accept each passing moment,
    to practice gratitude and be thankful because
    life’s for living, 
    and complaining simply isn’t worth it.

    Despite my discomfort, 
    despite my dismay, 
    I throw my arms to the heavens and thank God for this day. 

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved. 
    Photo by Jordan Stewart on Unsplash

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  • Poem: Beliefs – 24/01/21

    Poem: Beliefs – 24/01/21

    Believe me when I say
    finally the path is being laid. 
    No more erring, not more wandering
    down the garden path, 
    curiosity calling, 
    my eyes bright and prowling, 
    hoping to happen upon a sumptuous sight of 
    reverence and beauty, 
    truth and humility, 
    friendship and loyalty, 
    trust, and above all, 
    a close-knit family.

    The weave in my Life’s wefts has become tighter, 
    I’ve learned to control myself far better, 
    the outrage, the moods, the temper, 
    that which had always dragged me under. 

    Yet now, the past seems preposterous, 
    my behaviour childish and helpless, 
    tantrums, snapping, I’m now all about self-improvement, 
    and I govern as such toward those who also want a hand with it.

    Though, I can lead them to the water, 
    I cannot make them drink, 
    I can assist at guiding their thoughts but I cannot
    take away their independence and ability to think.

    Proactiveness is the way, to master oneself, 
    productivity opens one’s eyes and adds to self-worth, 
    my precious ones, rise on high. 
    Now soar, soar, with your supportive wings
    guiding you, 
    what to do, what to do?
    Improvements to be followed through. 

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved. 
    Photo by Michael Olsen on Unsplash

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