Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

Month: November 2021

  • Poem: vivid radiance – 30/11/21

    Poem: vivid radiance – 30/11/21

    look at this breath
    this baby’s hum and warmth
    permeating the surface of peonies on show
    i cannot care any more than I already do
    for this exquisite view
    simplicity
    between hearts wrought,
    tapestries bursting, sewn full.

    my soul speaks of the injustice
    of being made to wait so many years
    but here I am
    willing, able, ready,
    I live my life, in full,
    with another I need not yearn
    nor contemplate
    for if the right being
    soul
    spirit
    soars floats,
    temporarily, ephemeral, my way
    I’ll be gracious and kind and understanding,
    welcome them solemnly to further stay.

    a flitting of gossamer I spot at the corner
    of my harking perceptive eyes
    the signs of sprites waiting to celebrate
    a meeting set to occur with ease?

    I can only hope
    but carry on, carry on,
    there is no need for stomach to yearn nor churn
    seasonally thoughts will gather
    and perhaps an encounter, chanced, will please, occur.

    for now though
    full am I within for the righteous will appear
    or vanish whenever they want to surprise or delight me,
    there is little right in holding expectations
    to beings who live so free,
    brandishing hope and understanding
    time precious time
    will help me
    allow me,
    willingly to see.
    (30/11/21)   
    Copyright © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.

    Photo by Zulmaury Saavedra on Unsplash

    Previous Post: Spoken Word Collaboration by Navin and Lauren – implore – 29/11/21

    Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

  • Spoken Word Poetry Collaboration: Implore – by Navin Manik and Lauren M. Hancock – 29/11/21

    Spoken Word Poetry Collaboration: Implore – by Navin Manik and Lauren M. Hancock – 29/11/21

    Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with my dear friend, Navin Manik, of Navin’s Poetry to write and record together a piece together. Please visit his site for his amazing spoken word and poetry. There you will find soulful, striking, deep words from his very soul recorded, performed and shared.

    We sincerely hope you enjoy our poetry project, Implore.

    Implore

    The breaths I take
    The steps I sway
    When I dance on my feet
    My ground is change

    The heights I stare
    The case is space
    The light has shades
    The dark isn’t just pain

    I see the sane
    When I saw the chain
    I tear the deep
    When I drop the waves

    The colours I blend
    The Universe I paint
    The eyes then glare
    The divine through pen

    I expand upon
    an inner sense
    of personal justice
    social soul well meant

    I know I know
    the ability for
    personal growth

    is well rooted deep within,
    for every passing second
    my efforts are tirelessly sown,

    my chest expands
    my heart, it flows
    rich with breath, mighty effort
    stallion-like strength –
    continuous insistence,
    and sound temperament.

    our steps in time
    pirouetting groundwork
    yours and mine

    our knowledge together
    brought closely in life
    we stare down the precipice
    and soar, divine,

    unknowingly yet aware
    we become entwined
    intent and more
    this World we explore

    for reaching our Universe’s heights
    sights and sounds
    enriching our abilities
    our minds implore.

    Copyright © 2021 Navin Manik Poetry and Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose. All rights reserved.
    Video and sound editing by Navin, violin track and artwork by myself.

    You can also find us on Instagram.
    @navinspoetry_
    @laurenm.hancock

  • Spoken Word and Poem: over – 28/11/21

    Spoken Word and Poem: over – 28/11/21

    excited parallel universe
    where our motives selfishly meant
    were never truly met
    but in our beings we felt
    those irrevocable dents start to mend
    or were they beginning to spread?
    hard to decipher, the sensations felt

    young crushes soft passions
    gentle touches
    flushed complexions
    rough grabs forced giggles
    becoming something I didn’t want to acknowledge
    to please to be to allow him to feel to see “me” being
    right for him

    always that alteration for them
    never for me
    projection
    motivations incorrect
    feelings, felt
    triumph
    theirs, mine?
    I’m not certain
    though during the time,
    a certain type of divine victory —
    in that moment, they, he, whomever,
    were mine.

    the chameleon-like transformation,
    the desire rising and gaining
    and now
    the self-annihilation:
    who am I really
    when I’m being something falsified for another?

    playing these games all well and good
    but for some time
    losing sight of my inner flowers
    blossoms growing stagnant
    fragrance now putrid and pungent.
    for the scent of desperation and
    conformed coercion
    was, well,
    so wrong.

    and now I’m older
    I won’t allow this again for myself I will rise from these rubbish requests
    these wanton blatant desires
    specific request, the audacity,
    I cannot get over,
    change yourself?
    I didn’t request any amendments for you,
    because I’m not rude in that manner.

    This, whatever it was, I am over.
    (28/11/21)
    Copyright © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved. (Artwork, recording, and words)

    Previous Post: Wisdom Gleaned – 28/11/21

    Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

  • Poem: Wisdom Gleaned (09/10/21) – 28/11/21

    Poem: Wisdom Gleaned (09/10/21) – 28/11/21

    Author’s note:
    Sometimes I like to look back at my drafts and see what was on my mind months prior, and how I constructed these realities into rhymes and words to soothe myself, express anger, frustration, upsets, or some such. This piece I feel still has some of these truths ringing in my current reality. Hence, I thought I would share it with you here today.

    ***
    Unusual,
    preposterous be these claims
    that I am not worrying about anything
    that should make me feel ashamed,
    prisms of brightness flow,
    spark within me,
    as I recall these times
    when my breath caught
    in my chest:
    of love, they made me
    believe.

    But these are lost,
    fallen from grasp,
    and memory is phasing,
    walls erected,
    happiness failing?

    How can it be,
    but I am more satisfied
    alone,
    in my own company?
    My own lair,
    my very own home.

    Tirades now gone,
    absent,
    I can breathe,
    I don’t have to deal
    with issues that
    seemingly are only
    surrounding me
    and what I could and
    cannot provide,
    why, I’ve no further time to
    unravel that,

    I cannot give what
    I can’t,
    I don’t want to
    fall again into a rut,
    nor hastily fall and slide.

    Some may think it
    selfish to look out
    for myself but why,
    at the detriment of
    myself would I allow
    my joy to be dragged down?

    I cannot make anyone happy
    if it’s myself I need to provide,
    happiness determined solely
    through another?
    I can’t be along for
    that ride.

    Better yet to travel
    on my own,
    scenic, wisdom procured,
    certainly homegrown,
    I will continue
    and perhaps I’ll find
    something right,
    if not, no matter,
    because it’s my life,
    and I’ll decide,
    decide what I’ll provide,
    on my terms it’ll be,
    because this is my journey,
    why shouldn’t I be
    satisfied with my choices?

    For me, they must be right.
    I hope one day this will
    be seen.
    (09/10/21)
    Copyright © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.

    Image source: Photo by Alesia Kozik on Pexels.com

    Previous Post: the owls – 27/11/21

    Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

    Previous Post: the owls – 27/11/21

    Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

  • Poem: the owls – 27/11/21

    Poem: the owls – 27/11/21

    the owls, the owls
    they tiptoe along the wire
    sharing songs and stories,
    eons of lifetimes together
    fervent hoots and warbles
    altogether
    impressive wingspans as they envelop
    the biting morning air together

    hush down little prey
    scatter as you may
    all words, no prey, no victims
    but treated with such tenderness
    owls caress the vowels and syllables
    without damnation
    with much great proof
    of ultimate, irreverent
    atypical swayyy
    through and through

    plucked from the heavens
    or beneath their soaring
    impressive is as is impressive treatment sees
    will and hopes proving
    the chase is uplifting

    the owls hoot as they see fit
    sharing language,
    skills
    sharing to be free free free
    in it.

    the owls, can’t you see,
    are here, once hushed,
    now present and completely
    doing as they believe, trust,
    to share their magic
    their wide saucer-filled eyes
    echoed with great substance
    reflections, mirrors,
    no lies.
    (27/11/21)

    Copyright © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.

    Photo by Michael Hoyt on Unsplash

    Previous Post: jawbreaker – 26/11/21

    Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

  • Artwork: etchings – “the indecipherable” – 26/11/21

    Artwork: etchings – “the indecipherable” – 26/11/21

    copyright Lauren M. Hancock, painted 2017

    Follow me on Instagram: laurenm.hancock

    Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

  • Poem: jawbreaker – 26/11/21

    Poem: jawbreaker – 26/11/21

    taken apart with blade and box gloves
    reshaped rewired
    rehoused re-homed
    re re re,
    remove that disgusting request
    from my sweet skin
    I cannot bear the crawling sensation
    of expectation and desire
    rule over me like a beckoning hungry fire
    I know I should walk away
    but where to, at this hour?

    it’s unsafe to leave this pantomime
    the darkness it shrouds it reverses
    not animates
    just a broken jaw
    housing that candy I reached for
    too much too much
    to adore?
    do not love me for who I am within,
    no, that’s not the done thing anymore,
    here,
    at least, I’ll become more of what you want
    if I wanted you, I’d not show the door.

    yet there it is.
    shove control out the framework
    I won’t change unless it benefits my health
    I’ve worked so hard,
    and now, now?
    I’ll undo you if you try to treat me like
    a pawn.
    Copyright © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.

    Photo by Rafael Rex Felisilda on Unsplash

    Previous Post: finally – 26/11/21

    Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

  • Poem: finally – 26/11/21

    Poem: finally – 26/11/21

    bounce baby
    let me rise with thee
    there was only one path for us
    and that’s true destiny

    we are anything but circumstance
    we are everything wild and planned
    we are perfection hand in hand
    and scan my heart
    to find the true lands

    we will walk side by side
    you smilingly and I glory-feels
    your company is what I’ve always needed
    it only took years to succeed

    tell me now did you miss me
    did your first breath you gasped
    you realise
    there was a piece missing
    and now i’m here by your side

    be careful, bay-leaf, for your heart
    I will never flee
    understand
    need
    see
    that I’ll always be there for thee
    and thee for me —

    lifetimes apart, together
    finally.
    Copyright © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
    (25/11/21)

    Photo by Richard Brutyo on Unsplash

    Previous Post: golden times – 25/11/21

    Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

  • Poem: golden times – 24/11/21

    Poem: golden times – 24/11/21

    it feels like gold
    it shines it glimmers
    it never grows old
    these times that grow within my soul
    cause me to smile
    widely
    from ear to ear.

    lips plumped and pouted I contemplate
    what has come to pass with extraneous time
    for these golden dreams cause such brightness
    and internal strength
    tenacity helped me make it through the
    disastrous zones
    the struggles
    the moans the whines
    the aching
    the pining
    and now here I am
    grinning giggling
    for I’ve achieved what I sought
    and though it took certain time
    I have arrived…
    finally.
     
    no more talk of
    being on the verge
    on the precipice of achieving
    I’ve reached the rise
    and now I soar with it
    gracious understanding and gratitude
    and in this world,
    all the spare time time time.
    (24/11/21)
    Copyright © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.

    Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

    Previous Post: true fool – 24/11/21

    Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

  • Poem: true fool – 24/11/21

    Poem: true fool – 24/11/21

    ’emote’ 2021 by Lauren M. Hancock copyright 2021

    from the depths of my soul
    from the gateways of my being
    I shudder with anger
    distilling through me
    its not purely the behaviour that perturbs
    it’s the repeat offending that I know will remain
    present and untoward
    some will never change
    this I hold true
    pity me for believing:
    I am a true fool.
    Copyright © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.

    Previous Post: a gentler star – 23/11/21

    Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose