isolation – Lauren M. Hancock Poetry and Prose

Poem: To Adjust – 20/10/21

To isolate, but willingly,
set aside myself from
that once-hurried life,
is something rightfully
required, and
I know this as such.

To work on myself –
self-improve,
take the time to relax,
not always be ‘at it’,
the social butterfly,
no longer me.

I am repetitive, yes,
but it’s to do with
my training,
the ability to wash over
myself affirming words
every morning.

Others have done so too,
taken their paths,
months, years prior,
I’m here at long last,
watching, willing, no longer
passively waiting,
but performing all that
needs doing,
and more so,
just so there’s no yearning.

And pieces of me
once scattered around
the globe
by uncaring hearts who took,
each piece
dropped, thrown,
now I caress my gathered shards
that make up my
healing, healing heart,
loving, warming self-care,

I toss aside my long ebony hair
and valiantly smile
for I am here,
grateful and alone,
I sit atop my chair
and feel contentment;
this world is finally
feeling like a home.

Surrounded by everything
once prized, now lacking meaning,
because material possessions,
what need have I for everything?
Give my heart and soul to another when
time deems it ready.

Wondrous, this process
of learning to turn thoughts around,
look at the positive, hopefully always,
feed myself with joyous messages,
sounds, thoughts.

I need to do this
not just for myself
but for those closest to me,
I, myself, them, deserve only
the best version of me,
and if this means isolation,
temporarily from the world,
people,
friends,
as much as I can,
I’ll take this time,
adjust myself accordingly,
and allow my truest heart to shine.
(15/10/21)
Copyright © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.

Image source

The sun is shining on my face,
it’s glary but I don’t mind.
It’s nice to be outside of the house,
away from the fortress that’s kept me safe
over time.

I have ventured out for specifics,
I am here after the fact,
being here is not especially dangerous,
I’m simply sitting here in the car,
waiting for her return,
and it’s nice to be outside
of the house that we call home,
temporary freedom,
this is a blessed fact.

I watch people leave their cars tentatively,
head towards the supermarket doors,
I watch others wheel their trolleys to the cars triumphantly,
as if this is their one day out amongst many.

And here she is,
carrying a bag of goodies
and two punnets of treats,
she’s had her outing, too,
and for the chance for independence I can tell she’s pleased,
after being specifically cooped up for her safety,
there are more facts to this story that I won’t 
allow to be gleaned,

we have relished these minutes outside
and aren’t we so grateful,
these times have changed how the world and 
experiences are felt, and seen.

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

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Poem: Learning to Become Softer Again – 19/08/20

We’ve settled into a pattern of “comfortable”,
where we rest each day and call this perpetual state Home.
Where the isolation has become the norm,
we lay our weary heads down.
 
Our sleeping patterns are all askew,
but what does it matter,
we’ve all the time in the world to correct it,
is this not true?
 
We are insular,
we are a family unit,
through isolation
we have become closer, trust this,
 
and we are wrapped with this feeling of
personal warmth which comes from knowing
that through these times we will make it through.
 
The house has become more filled with love,
more of a home,
we spend time together
with less bickering,
less time spent alone,
it’s as if we have been purposefully drawn together again
for a specific reason,
a chiffon string bag encasing certain things from others who 
need not be privy to them.
 
And we are left here upon couches of two,
hearts further conjoining,
melding through and through,
we are learning to love more again,
we are learning to be softer again,
to care for each other
wholeheartedly again.

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

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Poem: Frustrations of Isolation – 10/08/20

How can I say this plainly, unflowery, with truth?
I’m frustrated, everything seems the same,
nothing to experience or share, no news.
 
I sit in my home and I try to create,
I use my phone also to try to connect,
but with others I feel a slackening bond,
becoming further away from one other,
is this now what it means to ‘get along’?
 
We each exist in our own little bubble,
Isolation, here are my troubles,
you cause me troublesome moments which extend
into the morning,
from evening to before dawn my problems are still lingering.
 
I am irritated and annoyed that there is nothing new to say,
that there is something unwanted about the contents of my days,
inextricable though the frustration may be,
it encompasses every wholeness of my being.
 
I cannot bring myself to bother anyone further,
I simply exist in my own little bubble,
I am trying to recover,
from life, and its cruel intentions,
what is it I must, we must, experience then?
 
I do not know,
but it will not do,
it does not do,
does not make me smile or wish to
stay for a little while,
in fact, from this world it makes me wish to up and leave.
 
To leave behind the mess of boredom,
the starched white collars of lonesome,
the inability to converse when with others I just
wanted to be myself.

Perhaps we'll find a solution,
perhaps I'll feel improving interaction,
but for now I feel this 'lonesome', 
and nothing else for me appears to be calling.  

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

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Poem: An Early Ode for Mother’s Day – 09/05/20

While we are separate,
our hearts are still all together.
We reach for means to communicate,
to strengthen the bonds between one another.
 
No matter the distance between us,
we know, we feel, we understand
that we are only a breath, a second away,
for those who are near and dear to us –
they are not so terribly far away.
 
We smile at each other through the pixel cameras,
we hear the hearty tone of laughter enrich the conversations,
we hear the witty banter,
the decidedly clever nattering,
of young, middle aged and old.
 
We care for those through these calls,
no matter that we cannot visit,
and if we try, we’ll see them through window panes,
smiling and waving again and again.
 
Separation is difficult,
it drains us, weighs heavily,
but it is for the better of all,
and soon, in the future,
hopefully there will be tentative good news
that a leader will be bringing.
 
But for now, allow us to keep one another in
our hearts and minds,
those bouquets of flowers glorified and bright,
delivered to cause great smiles,
Happy Mother’s Day tomorrow for all,
may all mums feel wonderful, appreciated,
no matter whether tomorrow or another date,
loved every day and every night.  
  
© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Image by annca from Pixabay

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May 9, 2020

Poem: When Will We Meet? – 13/04/20

What would the world be without the sparkle in your eyes?
The immutable knowledge that even amidst the chaos
Our love will survive,
It will withstand this weathering,
This erosion,
Upon our daily intents
Our quarrels,
Our makeups,
Taken for granted.
 
And now, realisation hits,
An understanding that we should have
Cherished those times,
Those precious moments held together.
 
The gentle opportunity of skin upon skin,
Your touch of my silken hair,
Pulling me into you with an arm closer still.
 
It is calming and saddening to know that I shall remain unprepared
For this ongoing separation,
When will this lingering loneliness end?
 
Hearts and souls around the world,
They ache,
Living through the process,
Cold and humbled by this,
 
My mind is quietened,
The ideas and knowledge of temporary loss swim,
When will we properly meet,
Where will our hearts blossom and truly see?

© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.   
Image by Zhivko Dimitrov from Pixabay

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April 13, 2020

Poem: To Pen Something Worthy On the Page – 08/04/20

I feel it’s been a while since I’ve written a quality poem,
Something to make me smile and feel pleased,
Proud of myself for something sharp and sweet,
Or lengthy but with purpose and a sense of growth and speed.
 
There was a time when I researched and read,
Many books of poetry I had immersed myself in,
Inspiration, a powerful thread,
But now, these books are silently laying,
Gathering cobwebs, it seems,
Until of them, my heart will once again be calling.
 
It was difficult to create when I felt the pressure
To delve into many other’s styles,
Why couldn’t I write in my own style,
Without having to research?
Of course, a writer is a reader, too,
A poet reads other poets.
 
But the time had come when I grew tired of it,
I needed a break, in order to keep on going,
To continue my art,
My twisting, turning words,
But then that break became longer and longer,
Until proudly, obnoxiously, it became incredibly self-assured.
 
This Break knew that it would be ongoing,
Something without end unless I gained the motivation to,
Once more, become back in the habit,
And I will try perhaps, one of these days,
To pick up my favourite poets and read their masterpieces,
Because of two reasons:
I enjoy them, and, they will assist my understanding and feelings,
Emotions to project through my words that can taunt, tease, or please.
 
So, this poem,
Where I bemoan,
Is not so much any more of that,
I had assumed I would complain,
But,
Here are the workings of the frame,
I simply detail, detail, detail,
And my words,
My explanations,
Will hopefully,
In the future,
Become less of an excuse and frail,
I will pen something worthier onto my page.
 
© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved. 
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

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April 8, 2020

Poem: Forever – 26/03/20

Draw me closer,
it may be the last time for a while,
feel my skin brush against yours
and our smiles within grow wider.
 
Understand that that is not goodbye
but “I will see you soon”,
my darling, you must know
the energy of your loving heart can fill any room.
 
The heart can project so much more than mere words can,
I will always wait for you,
and you for I,
we will be together again soon.
 
Need not tremble with the knowledge that 
the separation is for an indeterminate time,
know that we can remain in each other’s lives,
in so many ways,
 
We are and still will be 
eternally entwined.

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

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March 27, 2020

Poem: These Unknown Times – 26/03/20

In these unknown times,
where regulations reign to keep us safe,
we stay home,
we rest,
we recoup,
we pray to God that we will get through this biological affray.
 
Burrowed down in our blankets,
our eyes plastered to the laptop screens,
watching the news with great earnest, 
what is going on?
How will this eventuate?
What does this all mean?
 
How will we survive when daily our lives are at risk
and humankind is anything but unscathed? 
We await with apprehension
while some are blasé about the rules
they go out,
they socialise,
themselves they gather without guilt.
 
Selfish and ignorant are such types,
but what can we do?
We are right for staying in,
it is our method of isolation,
our following of instructions,
the immovable truth,
 
A means that surely will slow the rate down,
of the infection taking as many as it can,
to those undisciplined voyagers,
I sadly say, 
all the best to you,
for us all, protect yourselves and remain strong.
 
© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Image by Валерия Шарагина from Pixabay

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