In the darkness
Of the landing
I stand afraid
Unsure of what I
see
There are only
shadows
Creeping all around
Words being said
Like whispers in a
tree
The blackness is
suffocating
The lines are
blurred
I take a step back
And fall to the
ground
I awake startled
No idea of who I
am
How did I end up
here
In this land of
make-believe?
Jo Anne Kennedy
December 2022
I need to tell you
I love you
But I can’t
As I don’t know if
it is true
I want to tell you
You are loved
But again I can’t
As I don’t know if
it is true
I want you to know
That you are
loveable
I know that is true
But you can’t
accept it yet
Jo Anne Kennedy
November 2022
In the darkness, you shine
The light radiates off you
Lighting up your whole
face
Making you glow
Your presence is
overpowering
It's hard to be around
you
As your infectious
smile
Tries to win me
over
I don’t want to be
overpowered
I want to empower
But you are
standing in front
Creating a barrier
for me
Why am I so resistant?
To be where you
are
Am I scared of
what may be
Of what I may
become?
But there is no
need to fear
Because you mean
no harm
You reach out your
arms to me
And bring me in
close
Your arms envelop
me
And your warmth is
effective
In making me feel
safe
And secure in your
presence
But I need to let
go
To hold you at
arm's length
But you know that
is okay
As it is what you
want
You want me to be able
To stand on my own
two feet
So I will be able to say
I am who I am meant
to be
Jo Anne Kennedy
November 2022
When you look at me
What do you see?
Do you see a rose
Standing tall and
straight?
Or do you see a
sponge?
All wet and limp
As its being
squeezed
One too many
times?
When you look at
me
Do you see beauty
Or do you see ugliness
All crumpled up
and used?
Do you see someone
Who is strong and
stable
Or someone who is
unable
To stand on their
own
Because when I see
you
I crack into pieces
And try to
withdraw
So you cannot hurt
me again
But I say no more
to that
I want to be
strong
To have the keys
to my castle
And keep my heart
safe
Boundaries need to
be raised
Protection put into
place
So you cannot come
in
And try to
dominate
I want to stand
tall
and start to take control
to relish in my
identity
and believe my
roots are planted deep
Jo Anne Kennedy
November 2022
There you are, I see you
Walking down the
street
Strutting towards
me
As if you were the
king
You are as always
Wearing your lanyard
The one with the
false identities
You show the
world
You don’t know you
do it
But it is obvious
to us
That while you say
one thing
You really mean
the opposite
You portray yourself
as a warrior
When you are actually
a victim
And it is all
because
You want to be
better than you are
Jo Anne Kennedy
November 2022
We walk secretly
And silently in contentment
We walk openly
Greeting others
who walk with us
We walk humbly
Serving others in
need
We walk with perseverance
Pushing through
the walls and barriers
We walk with assurance
Knowing that we are
not alone
We walk in the knowledge
Of the enormous price
paid for us
We walk in
captivation
Of the beauty
around us
We walk out of
time
In the world, we
live in
We walk in time
With the one, we
belong to
We walk along
ancient paths
Forging new ones
on the way
We walk with purpose
Keeping our eyes
on the road ahead
We walk with hope
Knowing that it
will all be worth it
Jo Anne Kennedy
November 2022
In the first act,
All was right in
the world
Life was mainly sunny
With a couple of
rain showers
The second act was
stormy
The tempest came
And the whirlwind happened
And caused a lot
of wreckage
Near the end of
that act
The tempest calmed
down
When a ray of sunshine
came
And brightened up
the day
That was the time
when,
The rains finished
And the rainbow
appeared
Showing there was
hope in the world
Then we come to the next
scene
Where the ground
began to give way
And the clouds
gathered
Signaling darkness
on the horizon
The final scene
saw a real turnaround
And the darkness
gave way
To the land of eternal
sunshine
Where mountains
stood tall
Yes there were a
few tremors
When the earth
shook
But the ground
held together
And flowers
started to appear
But then a huge
crack appeared
The ground gave
way again
The sky plummeted
And the world was
about to change
Work has been done
And is still in
progress
To help repair the
damage
And bring healing
all around
Jo Anne Kennedy
November 2022
We need to embrace the brokenness
Let the tears stream
down your face
Courageously surrender
our pain and fears
We need to trust
and acknowledge
That the healing that
comes
Is far greater
than our brokenness
The trust may be
reckless
But we have seen
it happen
As we stand in the
fiery furnace
Transformation can
begin
Then we can be
delivered
From all that
holds us back
From being who we
are,
To who we are truly meant to be
Jo Anne Kennedy
November 2022
Why do we hide?
When we know the truth
In that, you can see
us clearly
Why hide behind a
tree?
Or in a winepress
Or in the desert
Does the cave
exclude us
From being seen?
No, you see us all
the time
When we are sleeping
Or watching sheep
You always see us
You see the orphan
You see the
prostitute
And the teenage
peasant
You see us all
You see everything
we do
Even when we think
you don’t
There is no point
in hiding
When you see everything
Nothing we do
escapes you
And the best thing
is
You include us all
In your wondrous
plan
You guide us
You hold us tight
And love us no
matter what
Jo Anne Kennedy
November 2022
It is amazing how
in life
You can belong to
a place
But after a few
years
Realise you never
really belonged
It is amazing how
in life
You can go to a
new place
And after a few
weeks
Feel you are at
home
Jo Anne Kennedy
October 2022
There was one
Who meant the
world to me
But because I was
scared
I pushed him away
There was one
Who saw me as me
But because I was weak
I pushed him away
There was one
Who made me feel
special
But because I was
ashamed
I pushed him away
There are many others
Who have come
close to me
But then turned on
their heels
And walked away
But there are
others
Who sought a friendship
But then I turned
on my heel
And walked away
from them
Then there are
those
Who have come into
my life
And will always be
with me
Forever in my
heart
Jo Anne Kennedy
October 2022
I looked up
And that’s when I
saw
A glimmer of hope
In the shape of
your promise
Faint though it
may have been
I knew it rang
true
And that I could
trust
The promises would
never be broken
Jo Anne Kennedy
October 2022
Yesterday you were here
Laughing and
smiling
Making forever promises
Now today you are
no more
Taken away from me
In the blink of an
eye
Devastation does
not cover
Exactly how I am
feeling
I am lost, unsure
and unsteady
Not knowing what
to do next
I go to bed, but
you aren’t there
I hug your pillow
To take in your
smell
Oh you were too
young to go
So much life ahead
of you
So much left to
give
Jo Anne Kennedy
October 2022
Inspired by ‘Solace
House’ by Joy Ellis
I was rejected
Yet I was chosen
How can that be?
Many times, of
pain,
People saying no
Or ignoring my
presence
Times when I was
forgotten
Or told I don’t
belong
In the place, I was
put
Times when words
hurt
Because they were said,
By ones I trusted
and loved
Times when I felt
safe
And went with my trusting
nature
Led to my biggest
hurts
Times when my
personal space
Was invaded and
dismantled
Leaving devastation
in its wake
Times when I was
being judged
For the beliefs
that I hold
All because they
felt insecure
Times when I was
bullied
Because people
disliked me
As I was good at
my job
Social isolation
from others
Because those who
are weak
Gang up to make
you feel the same
As the saying goes
Sticks and stones
may break your bones
But words never
will
What a lie,
Words can
definitely hurt
As they pierce a
hole in your heart
They enter the
head
Where they sit and
fester
Eventually being
all-consuming
Going into your
system
Making you believe
That their words were
the truth
But they are not
the truth,
They are lies
And are not a
fraction of you
They are a reflection
of the people
And symptomatic of their insecurity
All lies, not
truth
Jo Anne Kennedy
October 2022
I thought I wasn't angry
But I realise that I am
Though I have pinpointed why
It’s because of you
My life was turned upside down
And I had to leave
Leave the place I was me,
The place that I felt secure
Where I know I was loved
I had to go to a place
Where I never fitted in
And was regularly isolated
No one really cared
My feelings were rarely spared
As the bullying continued
I was hurting daily
Words speared my heart
And entered my head
I was made to feel low
As if I did not belong
I was daily rejected
Seven years of misery
Trying to keep on going
To keep my head above water
I tried to leave the pain
To let it all go
And disappear completely
But I was stopped
Can’t remember if I was grateful,
Or do I live in resentment
They say time heals
But that is just a platitude
As more time is needed
Time can’t completely heal
Love is needed too
Then the healing process can begin
Jo Anne Kennedy
October 2022
It was like a tug
of war
My head against my
heart
The thoughts
running wild
And the heart
beating fast
What was in my
head
Did not match the
truth
That is in my
heart
Lies were being thrown
around
It was enough to disrupt
me
And keep me awake
Lying in the dark
alone
Wishing to sleep
to come
Jo Anne Kennedy
October 2022
All the promises you have made
Have manifested as
truth
You are not only a
promise maker
You are a promise
keeper
You gave a promise
of rain
Which made one man
a fool
But his faith stayed
strong
As the rains
turned to floods
You gave a promise
of a new land
But many years
passed by,
And the people
became frustrated
But in time, the
promised land came
There aren’t just
past promises
They still
continue today
Every day is a
promise of hope
A promise of a new
beginning
Jo Anne Kennedy
October 2022
Seven years invested
But no return yielded
Just seems like a
waste,
And a slap on the
face
I gave my time
I shared my talents
But I got no
thanks
Not that any are really
needed
Yes, this goes two
ways
But in the end
It is about community
No person should
suffer alone
Yet alone I was
And alone I still
am
No one has reached
out
And I doubt they
will
I am waiting on a
call
Better not hold my
breath
As it could be a
long wait
Going on past
experiences
I feel rejected
and am hurting
But I need to
overcome this
As I bet no sleep
is being lost
Over my decision
to leave
Jo Anne Kennedy
October 2022
Thank You to the ones
Who have come before me
And had in me their hearts
Thank you to the ones
Who have come alongside me
And helped me mend
Thank you to the ones
Who when I was young
Helped to shape me
Thank you to the one
Who when I was a teenager
Listened to all my ramblings
Thank you to the one
Who when I was at university
Loved me as I am
Thank you to the ones
Who when I was hurt and broken
Helped me to fix the broken pieces
Thank you to the ones
Who when I was in a foreign land
Showed me what friendship truly is
Thank you to the ones
Who when I arrived home
Helped me try and fit back in
Thank you to the one
Who has stood by me
And became a true friend
Thank you to the one
Who gave me the confidence
And showed me I could do it
Thank you to the ones
Who have been with me
Throughout the thick and thin
And finally, thank you to the one
Who made me who I am
And knew me before I was born
Jo Anne Kennedy
September 2022
You were like a shadow of a man
Walking with your
head bowed
Shuffling your
feet as you walked
You stood as still
as a statue
Head down and eyes
closed
Silently saying
goodbye
You walked side by
side
With your brothers
in arms
All so different
from each other
The emotions
escaped you
Your eyes welled
up
And your bottom
lip was trembling
These are
difficult days
As they signal an
end of an era
And an uncertain
future for you
Jo Anne Kennedy
September 2022
You just need to chill
Let things go
Lean on those
around you
Lose the attitude
Talk to people
Get rid of the
anger
And realise the truth
You are not ok
Life has been
tough
Death follows you
You are now alone
Living in an empty
nest
But know this,
Your attitude and
actions
They affect others
around you
So please be self-aware
You are in pain
It’s easy to see
Your eyes tell is
all
They are a window
to your soul
You think you are
the leader
That you know it
all
But there are
people around you
So, listen to them
from time to time
Life will get
easier
But you need to want
it
Aggression is not
the answer
So slow down and breathe
Jo Anne Kennedy
September 2022
A nation mourns
The end of an era
Now a new
beginning
A family grieves
In the public eye
All up for
scrutiny
Four siblings
Walk side by side
Behind their mother’s
coffin
Brothers come
together
After a rough
couple of years
Their body
language discussed
The nation lost a Queen
We are allowed to
grieve
And show our respect
A family lost
their mother,
Grandmother and Great
Grandmother
We should let them
grieve
Respect the family’s
privacy
Stop criticising
their movements
Just let them
grieve
Jo Anne Kennedy
September 2022
There is a pain in
my heart
An empty space in
my soul
The place where
you are meant to be
But you are no
longer here
You left me before we were finished
One day you were
there,
And the next day
you were gone
Leaving me with so
many questions
Why did you leave
me?
Was I not good
enough for you?
Could I have
helped you?
What did I miss?
So many questions,
so many feelings
I just don’t know
what to do with them
You were my
friend, my confidant
Now, who do I turn
to?
Jo Anne Kennedy
August 2022
My memory is leaving me
It won’t be long,
Until one day when
I wake
I will not
remember your face
I am scared about
that
As I never want to
forget you
Which is why I want
to go
Still remembering
who we both are
Please let me do
this for myself,
I want to be
remembered
For who I am now
And not what I
will eventually become
Let me go with
dignity
With my pride
intact
If you loved me
You would let me
go
Jo Anne Kennedy
June 2022
Inspired by the
movie ‘Supernova’
It’s the image of
the four of you
Sitting around the
table
Which I can’t get
out of my head
Seeing you all awkward
at first
Unsure of what to
say
While also dealing
with your grief
Trying to both
hide your pain
And hold in your
tears
At the loss of
your child
Both couples are
grieving parents
But the grief is different
As one life was
taken by the other
Jo Anne Kennedy
March 2022
Inspired by the
movie ‘Mass’
Both mothers are
torn apart
One feels like
she has lost part of her
While the other
feels like she has failed
Her son was a killer
Killing his
classmates,
Before killing himself
Remorse is shown
by the mother
While the father
remains stoic
And tries to avoid
any blame
The tension in the
room rises
As voices are
raised
And hearts
continue to break
Jo Anne Kennedy
March 2022
Inspired by the
movie ‘Mass’
It was my fault
I suggested it
And now look at us
One addicted to alcohol
One with no legs,
And one dead – that’s
me
And don’t forget
The widows,
The grieving mothers,
The forgotten sons
All, the consequences
of war
Jo Anne Kennedy
February 2022
Inspired by Pink Mist by Owen Shears
You are in this alone
No one else can
know
The pain you feel
People look at you
And think to
themselves
There is nothing
wrong with them
But they can’t see
the inside
The struggle every
day,
Of getting out of
bed
There is no understanding
Of what you are
going through
Because they can’t
see it at all
Can’t see the
brain fog
Or the MS hug
Which is not a
friendly one at all
They don’t see the
fact,
That your body is
heavy
And feels like led
They complain about
their pain
And say you wouldn’t
know,
What pain is like
Jo Anne Kennedy
February 2022
2020 saw the start
of,
Life being turned
upside down
Covid-19 appeared,
And the world
stood still
The earth was able
to breathe
Without the extra
pollution
As plans were
grounded
And cars stayed
stationary
Stay at home, don’t
go out
Don’t enter other people’s
homes
Stay 2 meters
apart
Remember parties
are banned
Well banned for
the public
But not the powers
to be
They were able to
do their own thing
Despite telling us
no
They make the rules
But believe they are
exempt
From obeying the
law
Oh, what an
example they set!
Jo Anne Kennedy
February 2022
It has been a
while
Since I used this
medium
To share my thoughts
Or vent my rage
But here I am
again
Feeling compelled
To write in verse
By using my words
So much is
happening
A lot of turmoil
in the world
From idiotic
politicians
To the ongoing
pandemic
Women not able to
go running
Or walk alone in
the street
Without being a target
For men to take
their life away
I wish this world
was better
But we are where
we are
And we must keep
going
And do the best we
can
We need to think
of others
And focus less on us
Because being
together
Is better than
being alone
Jo Anne Kennedy
February 2022
