A Mind Full of Poems: In This Present Moment

By Nicholas Bingham

Nicholas wrote the poems in this book to satisfy his creative desire to use words, to form rhymes, and to tell stories.

A Mind Full Of Poems; In This Present Moment is his first collection of poems, inspired by the beautiful moments in life which we often take for granted.

A lot of the poems in this book are directly inspired by mindfulness. Being mindful we let go of struggle and simply allow things to be as they are. By doing this and experiencing life with a beginners mind, we step out of autopilot and become more aware of the present moment.

Nicholas poems are wondrous, uplifting and humorous. There are some monumental poems detailing his visits to London and Manchester, and a very special moment in Amalfi Cathedral.

The joys of cycling, discovering real ale, and taking an exhilarating dip in the sea at Whitby, are some of the magical things that Nicholas describes in stunning detail.

The title of the book is a play on words. Literally meaning that his mind is full of poems, but also relating to the practice of bringing mindful awareness to the everyday activities of his life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Aug 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504946476

Nicholas Bingham

Nicholas Bingham is a poet who practices mindfulness. He is a wordsmith of the here and now. His poem ‘Derby Day; Winning Feeling’, was published in the Sheffield Star newspaper in 2009, and appears in his first collection of poetry titled ‘A Mind Full Of Poems; In This Present Moment’. Nicholas is a proud Yorkshireman, Sheffield Wednesday fan, and National Trust member. He was born and bred in the city of Sheffield, and currently lives in Elsecar, Barnsley.

Book preview

1

Breathing In…………

Remember to Breathe

Life can be hard, but I don’t despair,

Because around every corner there is people who care,

Kind-hearted people who make me laugh,

Directing me on the right path.

We strive for perfection, go with the flow,

But only God is perfect you know.

Live in the moment, it’s the here and now,

Do something new that makes you think wow!

Paying attention in a particular way,

Mindfully keeping distractions at bay,

Don’t worry about the future, or think of the past,

Enjoy yourself now, let this moment last.

Step out of automatic pilot and just be aware,

When brushing your teeth or combing your hair,

Be quiet and still, notice your breathing,

As the air comes in, and again as it’s leaving.

If worry and rumination bring you to your knees,

Listen to your footsteps as you walk through the trees.

Challenge your thoughts, find a more balanced view,

Tweak your rules for living, and exercise too.

We breathe without thinking, it’s never in our head,

If we had to remember to breathe every second we all would be dead,

Our lives would take over, distractions everywhere,

But in the present moment our breath is always there.

When difficulty arises, take a three-step breathing space,

A break from the hectic mind-clutter rat race.

Refrain from reading the paper while you eat your food,

Tune into your physical barometer, and express gratitude.

Stand like a mountain, rooted, dignified and strong,

Get close to nature, wake with the bird song.

The Colours of My Mind

The colours of my mind,

Change so suddenly I find,

A little thing can bring sky blue,

When engaging directly with you,

I shy away, you do the same,

No one here is to blame,

My reticence might give you a clue,

It’s just I struggle with someone new,

I’ll try again another day,

Even though I don’t know what to say,

Looking for help wherever I can,

As I get older I become a wiser man.

A rainbow splash in a few short hours,

Didn’t you know you’ve got special powers?

Then a thought could bring grey cloud,

Kept to myself, never said aloud,

That’s when I give myself a fright,

It used to keep me awake all night,

Some special people came to my aid,

The darkest black began to fade,

A new life coloured with red and green,

Witnessing things I’d never seen.

I made a decision, turned on the light,

Looking forward with snowdrop white.

I’ve got to talk, don’t keep it inside,

I know how easy it is to hide.

A golden ale, a morning new,

Another way of living is overdue.

I Can See It

I can see it when I wake, through bleary open eyes,

Over the rooftops of the houses, as the crow flies,

Look out of my bedroom window to start a new day,

The sky looks different every morning in the month of May.

So when you rise tomorrow, before the postman brings your mail,

Take five minutes to view the sky in very close detail,

The colours, the light, the shape of clouds, there for you to seek,

A freshly painted vision to enjoy, seven days a week.

An Army of Trees

On the second day of the New Year,

I went for a walk, and it was never more clear,

How lucky I am to feel so alive,

Walking around Wentworth until quarter to five.

The beauty of the trees caught in the suns glare,

Dark against the sky, mighty yet bare,

An army of trees on the horizon defending their ground,

I stopped for a moment enjoying the peace that I’d found,

No television screen or computer could ever rival this,

Seen with my own eyes, a pure nature’s kiss.

On to the garden centre with a seasonal ice rink,

Then indoors to warm the bones with a steaming hot drink,

After a nice strong brew, I returned whence I came,

Feeling like a winner, though this was no game,

Darkness was falling, the same vision in a new light,

Skeletal trees ready to welcome the night.

At the end of my walk, The Parish Church of Wentworth in front of me,

Strikingly lit up, an enchanting structure to see,

Standing still admiring, in my own little zone,

I had to take some pictures on my mobile phone,

A wonderful winters walk, an afternoon well spent,

Hopefully you now realise just what it meant.

The Roll of the Wheel

An afternoon cycling on the Trans Pennine trail,

For the mind and body there’s no way I can fail,

Using my own engine and the roll of the