Do You Wonder?

I sometimes wonder

If you ever think of me

Of who I have become

And how I am doing

Do you wonder where I am?

If I am living close to you

Or gone across the world

And made good of myself?

Do you wonder what I do?

What kind of job I am in

If I am married or single

And do I have kids?

Do you miss me?

Do you wish I had stayed?

Or are you glad I have gone

And given you peace

Or do you miss me so much

That you want me back

Does it feel to you?

Like a piece of you is missing

Do you even think of me at all?

Or have I left your mind completely

Do I feature in your memories?

Do I have a place in your heart?

Or am I just a mistake you made

Something to never think about

Or do you cry tears at night

Guilty about what you did?

Jo Anne Kennedy

February 2018

Steal My Joy

I have made a decision

That is when you put me down

I am going to stand strong

And not let you steal my joy

Every day the jibes are made

And every day they hurt me

But now it will wash over me

As you will not steal my joy

You may think you are important

You may think you know everything

But you don’t really know me

And you will not steal my joy

So go on, do all you can

To antagonize and undermine me

Because nothing you do or say

Will take the true joy away

Jo Anne Kennedy

February 2018

There is Always More

For one negative

There are many positives

For one rude person

They are many more that care

For one sorrow

There are many joys

In the face of negativity

Always embrace the positive

Ignore those bad comments

And look at the friendly faces

And make yourself realise

That everything is ok

When you face unkindness

Heap burning coals on their heads

And smother them with love

Instead of fighting back

As bitterness hurts

But love conquers all

When sitting in the house

Lonely with your thoughts

Don’t let them eat you up

Instead lift your head and look up

As the main thing to realise

Is that you are special and loved

Jo Anne Kennedy

December 2017

Thank You

Thank you to the one

Who took my arm

And walked me to the door

Thank you to the one

Who saw my pain

And asked if I was hurt

Thank you to the one

Who looked at me

And asked how I was

Thank you to the one

Who gave me a card

With words of peace and joy

Thank you to the one

Who made me laugh

And embraced my crazy

Thank you to the one

Who enquired after my job

Telling me I was glowing

Thank you to the one

Who told me of their pain

And let me into their life

Thank you to the one

Who asked me to help

And be part of a team

Jo Anne Kennedy

December 2017

Blessings

In our daily lives

We focus on the wrong things

Like the temporary,

The immediate and the tangible

We focus on the looming deadlines

The impending exams

The family struggles

And the diagnosis that threatens

They are close to us

We carry them with us

And the urgency strangles us

They are hard to ignore

But we need to look higher

To see what is important

And live life to the full

Counting our blessings every day

Jo Anne Kennedy

October 2017

Thankful

Don’t catalog your losses

Instead, count your gains

Take your eyes off yourself

And look around at others

Don’t let time waste away

While you live in sorrow

Open your minds and hearts

And look at your blessings

Let your soul be thankful

For all that you have

Life is too short

To sit in the dark

Jo Anne Kennedy

October 2017

A New Name

We all have names

But we also get labels

When people judge us

And brand us as they see fit

Divorced, unwanted, player

These are labels we receive

Whether we want them or not

It's what happens in our world

But one day we will get a new name

We will be all be changed people

Labels will be gone

As we will have a crown of splendour

Instead of being broken we will be rebuilt

Instead of being lost we will be found

Instead of feeling unwanted we will be chosen

As we will be renamed

Instead of being labeled

We will be free

There will be no more shame

And no more need to hide

The burdens we carry

Will be lifted from our shoulders

And we will be renewed

Our past will be erased

Jo Anne Kennedy

October 2017