“Will it go to God?” asks poet Star Zahra
By Star Zahra The closest I ever felt to heaven as a child was wandering through the shrubs for hours, chasing butterflies, grasshoppers and the shy touch-me-not flowers. Those flowers fascinated me most. They were probably my first window into questions about nature and its ways. How could such a small, delicate plant react to […]
Your First Christmas in Heaven
by Amanda Nicholson If there’s a heaven Tailor made to each of us You’ll be in yours Winding all the angels up With just one more Christmas decoration A light up Santa, or an inflatable snowman Until your house up there Begins to look like Lapland In your own personal heaven You’ll never leave the […]
Welcome to summer Hopezine 2025
Editor’s letter Summer is here and with it comes the latest edition of Hopezine. For this special edition, writers have come together from Nigeria to Brunei to make their dreams come true – quite literally! We’ve written up our dreams to share with you and to see them in 3D. A new edition to our […]
Dr Izzati poem
Embodiment of an Aesthetical lit summer Memory lanes like cake icings I recall – my subconscious The dream I had The dots splicing My anxiety and OCD Would not stop me From finishing the papers It felt like the sofa Was my support system Woke up for research papers To lie down again Thesis would […]
The Big Plan
By Chrisopher Bird The ladders reached up from the rooftops toward the stars. Some of the ladders were silver and others resembled the colour of iron. The ladders wavered and wobbled precariously but nonetheless they appeared to almost reach the shining stars.Below on one of the rooftops a ceremonial band was playing as countless colourful […]
A dream of consciousness
By Erica Crompton Yeah. So, self-compassion was really important to me during that time. I mean, I remember when I was isolating myself, I’d kind of been out and bought a yoga DVD a few months before and I was kind of doing yoga in my bedroom at home just to stay active and to […]
Pitlochry’s The Enchanted Forest
By Erica Crompton There’s a magical place, we’re on our way there, Where twilight shimmers in crisp autumn air! The Enchanted Forest in Pitlochry calls, With lantern-lit trails and cascading leaves. A symphony of colour, of music and light, Transforms Highland woods into pure delight. Laser-lit lochs and trees dressed in beams, Turn this quiet […]
East Yorkshire’s Burnby Hall Gardens
By Paul Nicholls If you’ve ever dreamed of feeling like royalty with a pocketful of fish food and a fanbase of gaping-mouthed admirers, Burnby Hall Gardens in East Yorkshire is your kingdom—and the carp are your most loyal (and slightly overzealous) subjects. Nestled in the charming market town of Pocklington, Burnby Hall Gardens is a […]
ASK THE EXPERT: Breathing techniques to reduce your stress levels
By Christopher Paul Jones, Harley Street phobia expert and author of ‘Face your Fears – 7 steps to conquering phobias and anxiety’ Stress triggers our body’s primal fight or flight response, flooding our system with hormones that increase our state of readiness, which is beneficial in dangerous situations but detrimental when continuously provoked by daily […]
Getting real with a glow-up
By Erica Crompton I go make-up free most days I’m home and have a lo-fi beauty regime of wash-and-go-without-the-blow! I bathe in the evening, wash my hair, then let it dry naturally over night to save on time and heat-damaged hair. It’s a low-maintenance routine that’s real and has also served me well – I’m […]