Author: joannaalizio

It’s one thing to be admired,but quite another to be cherished.You will have tons of admirers,but find someone who cherishes you. Sometimes you meet someone and their energy matches so closely with your own. Sheila is that person for me. She’s the type of woman who sees you and warms your soul. Lately my words… Continue reading Cherished

I am from a big red house full of brothers and sistersfrom Barbies and board games and trips to the chicken coop to gather eggsI am from laundry dried in the sun and peanut butter toastfrom “you are so polite”I am from dessert after dinner and more orange juiceand from piles of wrapping paper on… Continue reading I am from

You painted a pretty picture of me The type of girl you hoped I’d be A model citizen Who fits right in I held on to the frame displaying the girl who boxed me in My grip too strong for too long It suddenly slipped from my fingers Tumbling down and shattered in pieces all… Continue reading Flailing forward

Deep, deep in the woods is where I was leftA remote part of the forest where you can only hear whispersbut not make out the words A dense canopy overhead Not a ray of light would dare travel so far or so low as to find me I knew I wasn’t alone but I felt… Continue reading Out of the woods

Don’t forget totie up the yearinto a pretty little bow. I’m not suggestingyou gloss overthe lows. Rather, I want you to considerdoing yourself a big favorby rememberingthe little momentsthat brought you levity and brightness. It’s within the recallwhere you’ll finally findwhat it all means. Throughout the yearyou are gathering momentslike picking up sticks from the… Continue reading Pretty little bow

Sometimes I wonder why I’m so compelled to write. Why have I always been? Yesterday my neighbor hung a plastic bag on my front door. Inside was a sweater she thought would look good on me. I didn’t notice her pass by my window to deliver it. The sun had gone down without me noticing—my… Continue reading Sweater

Alba’s elementary school chooses to call her Halloween parade an Autumn Walk. Her teacher says it is Noche de Brujas. I call it the first Halloween ever when I won’t go trick or treating with my kids. I can’t quite stand the thought of doling out candy in my doorway, each little face reminding me… Continue reading A Halloween

It’s more than just the milesIt is what they representA metaphor for this pretty little life of ours Starting on shaking legswalking oftenIn time and with perseveranceleads to power and confidenceGreat big strides Muscling throughuntil I catch myselfsprinting madly in pitch-black streetsno street lamps for milesbut I no longer fear the darkness I see it… Continue reading It’s more than just the miles

For Rafe and Alba, for being my magic every day. I knocked on the fairy’s house and she said she wasn’t home.But I heard her voice clearly echoing off the walls. “You can’t fool me,” I said. “And besides, I’ve only come back to play.” “You don’t remember how to play,” the fairy said. I… Continue reading Treasure hunting for the fairy

The words“In a year things will be completely different”have been ringing in my ears all these months. In my lowest moments the timeline taunted me.It forced upon me a deadlineto be changed, better somehow.What if I wasn’t?What if I was still broken in little pieces?What would that say about me? On better days I found… Continue reading Relentless