my eyes swollen, arousing now, the floor vanishes
hobby horse clings to a ceiling that does not exist
fragments of skin reek of fear, never ceasing
my heart is pounding, breathless for air
becoming that boney, big-eared child
you are no longer kind to me
pretending not to see
for I am caged
not free
Phew. This is such a powerful piece, Joni. Resonates deeply with me. Chilling, heartbreaking, and wonderfully written. Is beautiful. Much love and many hugs to you. ❤️🥰🙏🌹
Thank you Jeff I appreciate your kindnesses. I have to say I wish this didn’t resonate with you but I understand. Thank you for your kind words. Sending you tons of love and hugs Jeff. Enjoy your weekend and thanks so much for reading and your support. Love and more hugs coming your way. 🤗❤️🌹🥰💕🙏
You’re most welcome, Joni. It’s always a pleasure to read you. Always. Thank you for the loves and hugs. Sending love and hugs right back to you. Happy weekend, my dear friend. ❤️🌹🤗🌺🙏
Jeff I have figured it out. If you don’t answer all comments within twelve hours which I believe include the evening hours, your comments go to pending. Thank you for your sweet comment Jeff. You are always so kind. Hugs, Joni
You have evoked a truly terrifying and tragic situation, Joni!
Thank you Ingrid. I appreciate you reading and commenting. You really have a beautiful narrative voice. If I had that gift I think I would read most of my work. Have a blessed weekend. Hugs 🤗 and love, Joni
That is very kind Joni, thank you. I’m sure you do too! ❤️
You are welcome. It is a gift to have such a lovely voice. Have a wonderful weekend. Love ❤️ Joni
Your ability to express and verbalize some of these events is exquisite. I love the form this led to. Well done!
Thank you so much Brad I really appreciate it. That is quite a compliment when you like the form, as I consider you the master of form. It moved itself into the direction of a bowl. I am sending you my love and warm hugs too. Thank you Brad for your lovely support. Love to you Jonikins ❤️🤗🌹
Reblogged this on John Cowgill's Literature Site.
Thank you dear John. Have a blessed weekend. Love to you my friend, Joni ❤️🤗❤️🤗
You are welcome. You have an exceptional weekend.
Thank you so very much John. 🤗❤️🌹💕🥰🙏
You are welcome.
Can feel the pain, Joni. Childhood should be as joyful and carefree as it can be. A sense of security is a must. Lovely writing! 🙂
Yes you are so right. I wish every child born felt safe all over the world. Thanks so much for reading and your kind comment. Love and hugs Joni 🤗🤗❤️
Powerful Joni and raw! Heartbreaking; evocative and insightful! ❤️🙁😊
Wow thank you Ken I truly appreciate such a thoughtful comment. Sending hugs and love to you and your family. 🤗❤️
Ah your welcome Joni! 😁❤️ I always appreciate such honesty in a poem. Thank you for the hugs, sending some of my own to you and yours. 🤗
❤️🤗
Here’s a link to my latest poem Joni, thought you might appreciate it! 😁❤️ https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2021/11/03/the-scene-is-set/?preview=true
Thank you Ken, going in now. 🤗❤️
True emotions of a stolen childhood, Joni. Sending hugs. 🤗🤗🤗Allan
Thank you Allan and for the hugs too. Hoping you two have a blessed weekend. Love ❤️ Joni
This is difficult to ‘like’. I wish they had a “I see you and I am here” button. So much power in this that the reek of fear reaches out from the words.
Thank you my wise friend. I think there was so much shame while I was a child and especially as a teenager. It feels empowering to write about it and hopefully helps others realize they can talk about what is happening to them. Thank you for your very kind words. Love you ❤️Joni
Powerful, Joni. It has me staring off into space, contemplating.
That is a very lovely compliment indeed. That certainly tells me the poem had the impact it was meant too. There are so many children being abused at any given time all over the world. Fortunately there are so many more resources available to children now. Blessings to you both and thanks again Tim for your kindness. ❤️Joni
It is hard to get out of the cage. I’ve been trying all the time and still feel “cagey” a lot of times.
I am so sorry to hear that my talented friend. My feelings comes from some kind of trigger. The tears just start flowing. Eventually I go back to feeling normal. I don’t deny myself that uncontrollable sadness though because it doesn’t last long and stuffing feelings are not good for long term health. Big hugs to you. Love ❤️ Joni
Joni, your words are sad but beautiful in that they are a reliving that can help us move past. You’re a tremendous example for so many. 💖
Thank you dearest Holly. I appreciate your reading even when the piece is sad as you see your fair share of sadness through work. I am also glad that you understand the need to share and perhaps reach others. There is a way to live a productive life after abuse. The cycle can be stopped. Most of my readers are supportive and I am so grateful. Thank you sweetie. Stay safe you stay in my prayers. 🤗❤️🥰💕🙏
Such power of words in this short verse Joni…Oh my powerful and horror producing and viscerally painful to imagine a bit beyond what is written.. I tried not to..but your skilled words push me to see more that I wanted to. Again, if I could go back and hug this child..this younger you..I would and whisper..”You will be free and you will be an amazing poet someday..” 🤗🤗🤗
Hello my beautiful friend. Your words made me cry. You have such a sensitive and kind heart. I hope that you are feeling a bit better Karima. Thank you for commenting. I am thinking you may be writing new work as well. Congratulations for being one of the finalists for Shortprose poetry contest based on her beautiful book. I am sure your poem is incredible. I send you bundles and bundles of love dear Karima. I will visit your site soon when I am alone so I can spend time with your work. Thank you so much for visiting. 🤗❤️🌹🌹🌹
Oh my, the power in your words…the way you’ve expressed it…I’m speechless, dear Joni 🙏✨❤️💫
Thank you so much Navin. I am touched by your kind words. Thank you so very much. 🤗❤️🙏
You’re very welcome, Joni…have a lovely Sunday ✨❤️💫🤗
❤️🤗🌹💕
We have been there and back. Glad you made it too! Karma should give both of us smooth sailing from now on. Sending hugs.
Yes indeed dear Brenda I am grateful we both made it. Thank you for your hugs sending a bunch back. Love ❤️ and big squeezes Brenda. Love you, Joni
Beautiful Joni, so powerful! Lovely indeed! All the best to you both…yes it is Francisco…I’ve a new site now, hope you enjoy it. Take good care and all the best,
F
Oh thank you so much for letting us know. Love the name. Thank you for your kindness, your words come at a time when encouragement is so appreciated. Looking so forward to leaving on the 18th. Have a wonderful week my friend. You take care and all the best. Hugs 🤗 Joni
Thank you 🙏🏻 Joni. Have a great and blessed, beautiful trip! All the best to you both and our love, peace and prayers from Spain!
We are very excited. Eight more days and on our way. ❤️🤗
Wow! Almost there! Enjoy Joni, both of you!
Thank you, we are so looking forward to it. We are so excited to see our family and visit with my husband’s dad on the Oregon coast. It will be a blessing. Thank you both so much. ❤️🤗🌹💕🥰
Very sad poetry honeybun, but beautifully written. The composition is also great.
Sending hugs and love to you.
xoxo
Good morning Button. Thank you for reading and your kind comment. I am taking your advice and writing what is inside my heart. I know it is hard for some to read but I am following your advice which was so thoughtful of you to share as my friend. Sending my love ❤️honeybun 🤗❤️💕🌹🥰🌹🦋🦋
Good morning hon. I am thrilled and humbled you are doing that. You have unique gifts, talents, and experiences. All those things make for wonderful poetry. You are You now. I love you for this.
Huge hugs and thank you for the love.
xoxo
My pleasure you spread your love and help across all platforms and you encourage, motivate, and inspire so many. I am glad to be one of those folks. I am currently also working on a Chapbook for submittal.
Thank you Button sending more love.
YAY! This is great news. I can’t wait to read it.
xoxo
Well thank you but I don’t plan on self publishing. I will be submitting it for consideration in the middle of January. We will see, thank you Button. Have a blessed day. Love ❤️ honeybun
I did not imply that you are planning to self publish hon. I am just very excited for you. I am sure is going to be great. Love you ❤️🌸🌹
❤️🤗🌹🥰💕oh thank you, Button.
🌺❤️🌸🌹🥰🌺❤️🌸🌹
🤗❤️🌹🥰💕🦋🧚♀️🥰
Amazing poetry and form of artistic expression! Joni you are incredibly gifted and talented <3
Thank you so much my kind friend. You are such a sweetheart. Please say a prayer for a very young woman who has two children, one who can’t crawl yet. She was told she can’t be helped with treatment anymore for her cancer. But God performs miracles every day. Her mother is a member of this wonderful community. I will catch up on your site tonight it is my night to stay up by myself and read and visit sites. Thank you so much for your prayer. Love you Henrietta ❤️❤️
My heart goes out to the family, I will remember the family and especially the young women in prayer. All the best to you dear kind Joni, wishing you blessings in abundance. Sending comforting thoughts, hugs and lots of love your way❤️🌸💕
Thank you so very much, you have a very kind heart Henrietta. Thank you for all the love sending some right back. 🤗❤️🥰
Much sorrow and sadness here, that could only be told by someone who has been there. Sending you love and light my friend! 🥰❤🌞
Thank you sweet Tiffany, I really appreciate your kindness and your sweet support my friend. You are one busy girl. Sending you lots of big hugs and my love. xoxoxoxo
Heartbreaking.
Please don’t read anything that might make you sad dear friend. I appreciate your kindness but please don’t read anything that makes your tender heart sad right now. I know how triggers are for me. I can cry from reading about others heartbreak. I love you Anna. You are so dear to me. ❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏🙏
oh, how I was craving dreams, escape, and freedom.
He was to be my savior, but he was only a man…I love these lyrics! I identify with them. Thank you!
Thank you for your kind comment. Congratulations on your beautiful piece and winning the contest. You write beautifully. Thank you for reading. Joni
It is inspiring to read your poems. Thank you and happy Friday to you! 💖
Thank you so very much. I appreciate your kindness and your reading my work. You are a brilliant poet. This is truly a happy weekend for me as I will finally get to see my family in Seattle in a few days. Have a blessed weekend. Joni❤️
I am happy for you, Joni. I wish you a safe journey and beautiful weather. You are a wonderful person!
Thank you for your extremely kind words. I truly believe poets are a rare but wonderful bunch of special humans. In order to write you have to have experienced some deep pain and joy in your life. Then we mix those feelings up and words float around us and they are a lifeboat for many. I look forward to reading more of your beautiful work. Blessings to you! ❤️
There is a lot of truth in what you say. For me, literature has always been a shield against the world’s aggressions. An enchanted rug that can carry us to the desired time and place. An umbilical cord between strangers. And the most wonderful form of communication between the continents of the world. Very glad to meet you, Joni! Love
Expressed so beautifully Virginia. This has all been true for me as well.
“An umbilical cord between strangers.”
Feeling your kindness traveling through the beauty of that cord to me. Love Joni ❤️
I feel the same about you, Joni. You are a dear, dear friend. <3 <3 <3
Love to you dearest Anna xoxoxxo
Heart wrenching my friend, Your title and worded composition are concise. Have a beautiful day. Enjoy your coffee!🍮🍮🍂💕🍮🍮
Thank you so much for your kind friendship. ❤️🤗🥰
I am delighted and honored to meet you Joni. I really like the way you write. Good night and sweet dreams!
I too am honored my new friend. Thank you and have lovely dreams. Hugs 🤗 Joni
Joni this is quite beautiful, powerful, intense and filled with imagery that one takes with them as one ponders, silently, sitting on a bench in the park, quietly looking at the clouds as they change the composition of the sky, like watching a painting create itself…magical. All the best from a rainy and very cold Valencia. Cheers,
Francisco
What an incredibly kind thing to say my friend. I appreciate your thoughtful words more than you know. We had decent weather in Seattle and are now on the Oregon Coast with my husband’s father. They are having a wonderful time together. Sending my love to you both. xoxoxoxo
It’s always a pleasure to read your work, your beautiful work Joni. I am so glad to hear that you’ve had good weather and that now you’re enjoying the Oregon coast, must be beautiful out there, I wish you and your husband a lovely time, especially with his father. Our love to you both.
Oh thank you so very much. It has been such an amazing blessing for us. It has been a bit busy but so wonderful. Thank you my dear friend. Big hugs and love to you and Gül. ❤️😘