Community

We are called to be a community

To be there for others in need

To let them know we care

The people at the front they share

About the love they are shown

And the care they give

When people are being talked about

It is always the same people

Week in and week out

What about the forgotten ones

The ones sitting at home in pain

With loneliness closing in

Does anyone think of them?

Do people go and visit them?

Or even just give them a call?

Jo Anne Kennedy

December 2019

Place of Love

It is meant to be a place of love

A place to feel belonging

Somewhere that you can feel free

To share what you want

When one person hurts, we all hurt

Is that the truth?

When one person cries, we all cry

Does that really happen?

It is a place fill of people

Yet it can be very lonely

Yes people say hello

But you can still sit there alone

It is a difficult place to be

Full of cliques and favourites

The same people doing everything

And only the best at that!

What about exclusivism?

Are we not all the same in God’s eyes?

If so, why the differences

Between the greats and the forgotten?

Jo Anne Kennedy

December 2019

Thank You

They make me feel small

As if I am not there

Ignoring me when I speak

As if I am clueless

They don’t even see me

To them I am invisible

A piece of dust to be cleaned away

Someone with no worth

But you, you are different

To you, I am the only one in the room

The most important of all

A precious diamond jewel

To you I am worth something

Your love for me never fails

And this makes me smile

And helps me live a day longer

I yearn for the day

When I can be with you

But for now, I will settle

With knowing you are with me

No matter where I go

You are always there

Looking out for me

In everything I do

So to that, I say thank you

Thank you for being you

And loving me for who I am

Even with my imperfections

Jo Anne Kennedy

November 2019

He Said/She Said

You said you were done

But then we sorted things

Even though I had issues

But it was clear you did

Now two weeks later

It is back to bucks

I am scared to ask anything

Because you bite my head off

Yet I am the one who is to blame

Apparently, I made you sick

Well whatever you say

I am not that powerful

I am not sure what to believe

Or who to believe

Because I can no longer trust anyone

As gossip is spread

It is a he said/she said environment

It feels like a school playground

With people being pushed around

And others are not invited to play

Jo Anne Kennedy

November 2019

Press Decline

I am craving what I cannot have

The unforbidden fruit for me

That is a chat with you

All I want is to talk to you

With no strings attached

Just to go back to the past

I sometimes miss what we had

But when I think about it

I realise I am better off this way

Because you are bad for me

You make me feel inferior

And treat me unfairly

So why would anyone miss that

Miss being put down

And dirty looks thrown our way

For me, it is best to walk on

When you come near me

And press decline when you call

I need my sanity

I have enough going on in my head

Without you intruding my thoughts

Jo Anne Kennedy

November 2019

Queen Bee

You never change

You still walk around

With your head lifted high

You still walk like you own the place

Saying hello to who you want

And walking past others

With you, it is always been a game,

Of pick and chose

And who you want to be seen with

You are no longer Queen Bee

But I think someone forgot to tell you

Because you are still buzzing around

If you talk to someone

You expect that person

To believe it is a privilege

You never laugh, you never smile

You just walk-in all serious

As if we are all beneath you

Oh how I wish I could bring you down

And put you in your proper place

And leave you to wallow in that

Jo Anne Kennedy

November 2019

Rhetorical Question

Here I am limping around

But without the stick this time

When someone says to me

You haven’t for your stick

You must be better

Oh how I wanted to scream

It’s not all about the stick you know

Things happen which you cannot see

Like me forgetting who you are

Or what word I am meant to write

My concentration leaves me

And I’m in a world of fog and confusion

Not knowing what has just been said

And getting told off for not listening

Oh how I wish I was perfect like them

When I am out at things

I generally put a mask on

And keep my feelings to myself

Because when someone asks who you are

It is really a rhetorical question

People can be superficial

They look at the outward appearance

And the feelings of the heart

Really don’t matter to them

It is just a question you ask

Jo Anne Kennedy

November 2019

Restlessness

I cannot settle

My heart will not rest

And my head is spinning

The thoughts whirl around

Creating sadness

And it aches my heart

The lies come now

With words of pain

That I am not good enough

Then I hear a whisper

A voice calling to me

You are not good enough for me

It’s that voice I should listen to

One of love and compassion

The one who created me

The restlessness comes from the self

The one I am bound in

And what my life consists of

But that should not be the case

As I am called to love others

So my mind must turn to them

Jo Anne Kennedy

December 2019

Is the Door Open?

Is the door open?

Can I get through?

Will you help me?

Or leave me here?

I need a wee push

As there is a stop here

How can I get in?

If you put obstacles in the way?

Is this for everyone?

Is it accessible to all?

If so why no spaces for me

Why do I have to sit at the back?

That is another obstacle for me

As I cannot hear you speak

Or read what is on the screen

Because I am at the back

Is this a friendly place?

Will people speak to me?

Because so far I have been ignored

People just stare then walk away

Is this not a place for everyone?

A place to be accepted by all

To be loved no matter what

To be seen as an equal

If so, then I haven’t seen it

I do not believe that this is the way

That Jesus would have been

Distant and uncaring

No, he would have been with the lowest

The ones who are in need of help

Those who are marginalized

And those who are forgotten

Is this not how you should be?

Why so many obstacles to prevent me

Being able to feel a part of the church

And feel loves like Jesus loves

Jo Anne Kennedy

December 2019

Hypocritical

I hear people tell me

Of your concern for me

But please don’t blame me

If I find it hard to believe

For one if it was truly the case

Then where have you been

Why haven’t you shown your face?

And show me that you care

It’s because you are the hypocrite

But I am the one who is told off

Because I ignore you

But I am just doing what I am told

You said no contact

So I am obeying your orders

Maybe you should take your own advice

And leave me alone

Jo Anne Kennedy

October 2019

Common Ground

You and me

We come from different places

But we meet on common ground

That is hard to do these days

And not easy to sustain

So sometimes we falter

But the truth is

That no matter what happens

We have each other’s back

We see each other’s past

And in our own individual ways

We let each other know we care

Jo Anne Kennedy

October 2019

The Voiceless

October 2019,

Will always be a month

To look back upon

And sigh

It is a month of darkness

When people’s opinions stopped mattering

And politicians took it into their own hands

To dictate the law

The voiceless were ignored

And those with a voice,

Protested loudly,

But were ignored

It all comes down to the politicians

And the childish games they play

Not wanting to cooperate with each other

Which punishes us all

Jo Anne Kennedy

October 2019

Misconstrued

Every day we try to be ourselves

But it is very hard

As others can misconstrue you

The words you say

The way you look

Or the way you behave

It’s all taken out of context

And made into something else

In the minds of others

Then it’s that version of you

Which gets played to others

Then spirals out of control

Can people not just take us,

For who we are

And not project things onto you

Or is it because

People don’t actually know us

Or even bother getting to know how we tick

There are assumptions made about people

And judgments falling down

But really, who is the real us?

Jo Anne Kennedy

October 2019

Messed Up World

Sometimes life can be pretty messed up

With people doing the stuff they shouldn’t

And saying things that harmful

Or you go to the extreme side of politics

Which can be pretty twisted

With all the lies and manipulation

It is hard to know who to trust

In this world of fake news

Which effects more than the individuals concerned

We live in a he said/she said world

With no one taking the time.

To actually seek the truth

What is the truth these days?

Om this world of exaggeration

And throwing daggers

It is a god eat dog world

Each person out for themselves

With a thought of others

It is sad to live in these times

Where you are afraid to speak

And even afraid to smile

Jo Anne Kennedy

October 2019