Tag: life

  • Poem: Living my Best Life – 01/08/21

    Poem: Living my Best Life – 01/08/21

    Living the best life
    that I have known,
    rich with friendships,
    loyalty, calm and respect
    within the home,
    ladened with kindness,
    listening, understanding,
    appreciating life for
    what it’s delivering.

    I’m amazed at true contentedness,
    this feeling of warmth,
    of bliss,
    the comfortable space I’m in,
    where my heart and mind subsist,
    I have grown as a person,
    I’ve become surer of myself
    in ways I’ve not ever known,
    confidence breeds self-knowledge,
    and genuine love for myself
    and others is assured.

    I wonder not now at what
    could have been
    nor dwell on what was,
    I am grateful and gracious
    for the time I have in
    this world,
    it’s like everything is falling into place,
    a world of almost-perfection,
    meeting me with haste.

    And so, I develop,
    and work on my spirit
    some more,
    so much time in life
    yet so little,
    never a chance to complain
    or be bored,
    I appreciate everything I’ve been given,
    and everything that’s coming
    my way,
    I will replenish my soul,
    my life,
    with truest brightness
    every day.

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
    Photo by Courtney Cook on Unsplash

    Previous Post: ‘Welcome Visitors’ – 31/07/21

    Previous Post: ‘Morning Walks’ – 28/07/21

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  • Poem: Welcome Visitors – 31/07/21

    Poem: Welcome Visitors – 31/07/21

    Away with me as I fly
    to sea,
    watching the world fall beneath me,
    I am free
    to see the wonder and
    the mess of my land,
    that space in between
    falsity and reality,

    I need to realise the scarcity
    of danger does not mean
    that it is non-existent, but rather
    it is there lurking,
    waiting,
    attempting to gain its
    personal power,
    but what is the point in delving
    when no one is there to commence caring,
    to begin embracing,
    to be there, understanding,
    baring my soul
    for a silent audience?
    Shall I ever know?

    Did my words have any impact,
    will their truths finally be shown?

    I realise the long and short of the matter is
    that if I soared, on my own accord,
    there is no need to be admired,
    or reassured,
    no requirement to be acknowledged,
    a certain word barrage,
    and then I will know,
    to myself, that there is
    a time,
    a place,
    a space,
    for when I will be known for the words
    that I have sewn.

    The cobwebs can remain in my room
    for as long as they like,
    because the host,
    their lady with the most,
    will always be home.

    She will greet you when you arrive.

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
    Image by Pezibear from Pixabay

    Previous Post: ‘Morning Walks’ – 31/07/21

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  • Poem: Strive – 28/07/21

    Poem: Strive – 28/07/21

    Consciousness creates change
    as I travel down a new path,
    my negative thoughts alter themselves,
    a turning point, a fork in the road,
    I do not beg to ask,
    consciousness is what creates our reality,
    I become what I think about, the most,
    my reflections flash as I stare into a clearing pond,
    eyes of goldfish bulge and bond,
    their gaze adjoins with mine,
    their forms start to bob,
    they rise for more,
    they learn to trust,
    a human with gentleness for them as one.

    I will never reach a point
    where I’m wholly complete,
    to finish this existence early,
    why, a thought ever so dreary,
    never having to reach for improvements,
    never again experiencing eternal growth,
    manifesting more,
    more,
    aligning my journey is required,
    to become in a way I’ve never known.

    While I am enough and enough is
    what I shall perhaps remain,  
    understanding the rise and fall of my life
    in parts and in its entirety,
    manifesting, creating,
    knowing,
    differences yet still the same,
    using the negative moments that allow me
    to know what is unwanted,
    and what can be improved on to rise forth,
    and grasp hold tightly, so firmly, upon this ride,
    a personal state of feeling so utterly divine.

    I will strive to feel good no matter what,
    whatever the situation or travesty,
    I will distract myself from pains and lack of
    positive source wholly and knowingly,
    altering my judgement,
    my anger and sadness from me,
    focus on the future,
    on all things possessing positivity.

    There is much work to be done,
    I acknowledge this myself,
    so much time has been spent
    wrecking myself,
    I need to undo the harm,
    backtrack the repeated mistakes,
    unravel the consciousness
    and become more, more,
    like I’ve tried to,
    and am trying to,
    as of late.

    A picture is worth more than I can currently accommodate.

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
    Photo by Javier Allegue Barros on Unsplash

    Previous Post: ‘Flushed Magnolias’ – 28/07/21

    Previous Post: ‘Rows of Rosies’ – 26/07/21

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  • Poem: Rows of Rosies – 26/07/21

    Poem: Rows of Rosies – 26/07/21

    Rows and rows of rosies,
    we bend and sniff,
    achoo,
    we’ve more to fear these days
    than an ancient dreaded plague or flu,

    we link arms,
    ring-a-rosies,
    we hold each other tight,
    we’re here for all
    through thick and thin,
    through harsh morn’ scratchings
    and eerie dead of night.

    The home becomes a zone
    where no fresh soul shall pass,
    each contagion has already been
    unknowingly passed.

    Families isolate,
    quarantine with hope,
    watching loved ones repair themselves,
    immunity must grow,
    it’s the only option they must know.

    Recovery, or treatment
    when possible,
    required if ease of breath abates,
    this playtime of ring-a-rosies
    has been forgotten as of late,
     
    but still we all link arms,
    hold each other tight,
    spin, focus now, less our prior delight,
    for it is with determination,
    solidarity and fight,
    that we will win these battles,
    calm seeps into our nights.   

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
    Image by Kate Greenaway in ‘Mother Goose’, sourced from Wikimedia, use under Public Domain

    Previous Post: ‘Perfect Imperfections’ – 24/07/21

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  • Poem: Luminous – 22/07/21

    Poem: Luminous – 22/07/21

    I am brightness within eyes and
    air between wings,
    rise with me,
    moods heightened,
    how amazing salvation is.

    I have been forgiven and it was
    granted many years before,
    acceptance, realisation,
    have long been in the making,
    my life, my world,
    I now treasure, I adore.

    Acknowledgement of the
    gravity of my former situations,
    I know now how darkly luminous my fate glowed,
    insinuations,
    whilst glowering were heavy eyes
    above my form,
    their unhappy windows,
    but still they watched over me,
    for then, for future tomorrows –

    I had protection from angels,
    from generations of loved ones,
    from heaven above,
    and the benevolent calming God.

    How else could I describe my survival —
    triumphs over tribulations,
    scraped stifling walls for air,
    learned to be humble,
    in reality, I could be away from here,
    six feet under,
    or scattered in pieces,
    what a moment to comprehend,
    how one might shudder.

    I lived under calculated stares,
    by some, I suspect I was abhorred,
    raging thoughts,
    temporary damning thunder,
    they’ve forgotten with time,
    softness beneath me grows,
    a sense of quiet personal power.

    An important being to some, to many?
    Yet to others, a nameless entity,
    and now here I am,
    within the arms of comfortability,
    of safety,
    and most grateful I am,
    gracious in Life’s undertaking,
    because I know,
    I understand,
    I comprehend that my place within this world
    is something to respect,
    for I have been spared from a fate
    potentially dared and wiped,
    into nothingness I would have become,

    obliterated,
    faceless, lost,

    yet here I am,
    saved,
    like a turtledove
    I have returned to the flock.

    I am at one with them,
    I am treasured,
    I am youthful yet I am growing old,
    life is amazing once I’ve accepted it,
    truth be told:

    of its glorious moments
    there are so many forthcoming, past and current,
    of Life’s glorious abundance,
    I am sold.

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
    Photo by Monica Turlui from Pexels

    Previous Post: ‘Waltz’ – 20/07/21

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  • Poem: Waltz – 20/07/21

    Poem: Waltz – 20/07/21

    Our feet together,
    they step in time,
    gentle footsteps,
    intertwine,
    yielding memories,
    forthcoming hope,
    endangered circumstance,
    thoughts, hearts, pump, grow.

    I know the understanding I have is
    too right,
    that the assertions made shall
    linger into the night,
    hands held,
    palm to palm,
    they know,
    intuitively speaking,
    they meld,
    we meld,
    complex love disarms,
    its truths it is singing.

    We are not borne of wind
    nor shore,
    we do not trail the sand of
    distant moors,
    we enlist the capacity of a
    united front,
    our waltz is independent of others,
    desperate need will not depart.

    So, I cling to you,
    and you latch onto me,
    holding us together,
    our pieces join so lovingly,
    there is little to say further
    on the matter,
    the county knows our hearts’ patterns
    by now,
    we are wild circumstance and longing,
    our youthful love
    steals the show.

    So, quieten down now,
    these wild-footed, sweeping beats,
    gentle taps now,
    our sweet soft melody,
    our beat, our rhythm,
    our precious time,
    taken in as our developmental style,
    we shall remain together,
    despite all paraded before us,
    protests spoken all the while,
    our bond is special,
    it reassures us.

    Who knew we’d be present, together,
    after all this time?
    Ached through much,
    years of frenzied dance,
    yet remaining palm to palm,
    an intricate understanding,
    a gentle touch,
    our voices now,
    we sing in rich key,
    beautiful duet —
    an honourable melody.

    Richness of understanding,
    how well you know me,
    our interactions are made with
    the smoothest of ease,
    our version of love blossoms,
    like wildflowers, it grows with speed,
    some don’t understand us,
    but we’ve nothing to prove,
    it’s our land,
    our world of in-between,
    that we inhabit and waltz through
    with joy, so freely.

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
    Photo by Andrew from Pexels

    Previous Post: ‘Battlefield’ – 20/07/21

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  • Poem: Away Without Leave – 18/07/21

    Poem: Away Without Leave – 18/07/21

    I am currently away without leave,
    taken steps to walk from progress
    so I can be there, to care
    for the ones I used to revolt against,
    those who love me with every inch
    no matter past sadness,
    but pray tell I do digress,
    I need to be here,
    not unavailable, but present,
    my presence used to be far, far less.

    I have relearned the role of
    family amid this chaos,
    upsets, Life’s bad news,
    over years together when my
    desire to stay home faltered,
    when I needed to be
    belligerent to others,
    now those days have all but
    faded away,
    love grown and nurtured,
    here I am,
    I will stay,
    give back
    for it’s the least
    I can do,
    promise their needs will be
    attended to,
    it’s not about my former
    wreckages now.

    Gently, I will lace the new
    understanding of family
    and closeness and inherent need
    and trust,
    being here, breathing there,
    even in silence
    company is a must,
    spread my opening wings around
    their hearts,
    stop the chance of bruising
    through my chrysalis,
    boy, am I wondering
    will this ever be enough,
    as repayment?
    This tender notion of love versus love.

    I am away without leave,
    I have taken the time,
    a step away from requirements,
    daily life now starts to sway,
    we are in our vortex where
    time learns to stand still,
    and we can appreciate one another’s
    company again,
    adoringly drink our fill.
    For, time is fleeting,
    Life seems to know that drill.

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
    Image by Terri Cnudde from Pixabay

    Previous Post: ‘Seasonal Affective’ – 17/07/21

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  • Poem: Seasonal Affective – 17/07/21

    Poem: Seasonal Affective – 17/07/21

    Today’s been a struggle
    I must openly admit,
    not feeling seasonal affective,
    but rather seasonally dejected,
    my mind, it swims with sadness,
    amiss is my prowess, my brightness gone,
    my ability to deal with
    rejection or silence
    when reaching forth to others
    with smiles or hopeful song.

    I know the root cause,
    the depletion of my nightly dose,
    and also the lacking of ample sleep
    which my body and mind are
    craving the most,
    my ability to combat little things,
    my lacking in ability to cope,
    why can’t I be like others,
    or simply possess the usual
    resilience of myself?

    I know I must sleep,
    I know I must practice self-care,
    but how can I lay my head
    down to rest
    when I am unable to
    stop my mind ticking,
    from working in a manner where
    every ounce of energy is sapped?

    My energy stores refuse to replenish themselves,
    I should knock myself on the head,
    and tell myself
    enough is enough,
    you need the former amount,
    don’t be stubborn,
    reinstate your medication dose!

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

    Previous Post: Sunshine Blogger Award! – 16/07/21

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  • Sunshine Blogger Award! – 16/07/21

    Sunshine Blogger Award! – 16/07/21

    Lovely Grace of Grace of the Sun recently nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award, and I thank her kindly for her wonderful nomination. This is the second blogger award she’s put me forth for, and I am so grateful for this. The Sunshine Blogger Award is an award shared by bloggers to other bloggers who help spread creativity and positivity! Grace’s work covers many topics and has many bright, positive and thoughtful facets to the content she shares with us all daily. On her blog, she shares her point of view, and what brings her joy. Please check out her page Grace of the Sun to experience her positivity, joy and sparkle today.

    Rules:

    • Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.
    • Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
    • Nominate 11 new bloggers to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
    • List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or your blog.

    Grace’s Questions

    1. What is your proudest accomplishment?
      Self-publishing my first book. One of my childhood dreams was to be a children’s book author.  
    2. What makes you laugh the most?
      Speaking with and joking around with friends makes me laugh; making witty remarks with them also.
    3. If you met you, would you want to be your friend and why?
      I would want to be my friend because I am open and welcoming, and I feel I have a brightness about my personality.
    4. What do you like most about yourself?
      I like that I am creative, and thoughtful and caring, especially toward the people close to me.
    5. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
      Pancit, a Filipino rice noodle dish! It is absolutely delicious, and my auntie makes it wonderfully.
    6. If you can be anyone else in the world, who would you be or would you be yourself?
      Even though we can admire another’s life from afar, we do not know the inner workings of their world and mind. Thus, it is difficult to answer if I would like to be someone else. I only inherently know about my life, so I would remain as I am and be myself.
    7. Who is your hero?
      A hero of mine would be my mother. She has been through a lot, especially health-wise as of late, and she always has a positive attitude and resilience about her.
    8. What motivates you most?
      The idea of being heard and understood.
    9. What did you want to be when you were small?
      A children’s book author and in an orchestra.
    10. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be?
      Drink coffee and lounge all day at a dog café that has friendly pooches who will want pats and want to play!
    11. Would you say you are resentful or can you let go of things easily?
      Depending on the circumstance, I can be resentful, but I am learning to be more forgiving and let go of things. Learning to do this does take time.

      These are the questions for my nominees:
    1. How do you deal with regretful situations?
    2. What is a joyous moment for you?
    3. When you’re inspired to write, is it in a frenzy or a controlled manner, how do the words flow onto the page?
    4. What is the most important object in your life, and what significance does it hold for you?
    5. Are you a coffee or a tea person?
    6. What would be your ideal way to enjoy a Sunday?
    7. Name one hobby that you enjoy and why.
    8. Share a treasured memory of yours?
    9. Name a favourite song of yours from a musical.
    10. Would you consider yourself an extrovert or introvert?
    11. And does this affect the way you write for your blog?

    My NOMINEES :

    Previous Post: ‘Be Prepared, Be Prepared’ – 16/07/21
    Previous Post: ‘Adorn’ – 14/07/21
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  • Prose: Be Prepared, Be Prepared – 16/05/21

    Prose: Be Prepared, Be Prepared – 16/05/21


    I am here, present in this second, this moment, my attitude is hell-bent on being successful, not necessarily as others deem or know it. My cause lies in the unknown, in the process of my soul becoming freer, more known, the enlightening of processing my intention – allow us some cloudy ascension. Spiritual connections; my repeating voice drones.

    I am available for unlimited knowledge to permeate through my being, much like a sizzling wavelength enveloping me. I know, oh, how I know, that while my heart, long before, has been ravaged, and bittersweet were those partings, with each return I felt anew, but why is it something which needs to be revisited? In lieu of my life manager, I feel a part of, knowing what’s available, I can come here and load thoughts and dreams into an embryo, in the ‘warehouse’, yes, the future of tomorrow.

    And here the little being will grow and flourish and shine, blossom into a wild, untamed belly-bound youth with flowing girlish hair, similar to mine. We know not of her sex, of his intellect, or their preference, but certainly the moment we lay eyes on our precious creation, we will know, we will know, time spent admiring is ultimately well spent.

    Do not cancel out the possibility that the child may secretly morph into a book, words to be enjoyed, permitting a second look, or rather could their eyes be the depths of the world, a place to find the perfect alibi, covering answers all around? Perhaps she’ll just be herself, or he will play at the creek, with sticks and palettes of makeup, or in the mud, to one side lies our careful yet admiring eyes, stare, blink, repeat.

    And I now shake myself from your mind, stare into your amazing being, it’s the tremendous one-year anniversary, what more celebration could you provide, more than always being there for all of us, for Father, the boys, and I? Our wondrous life, blessed indeed. Together, we shall fly.

    © 2021 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
    Artwork by myself.

    Previous Post: ‘The Flea Market Contraption’ – 15/07/21

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