My Column - February Word Catalyst Magazine

Here is a snippet and a link for this month's column--"Teach Them Well"

Lily rushed. Her tiny feet moved, propelling her past the orange building on the corner. The next block of row houses and she would be safe. But the toe of her shoe caught on the uneven sidewalk and sent the little girl tumbling, her school books flying and skidding helter skelter across the freshly sprinkled snow. Her third grade English book glided the best, finally slamming against the chipped orange brick of a building. Read more...

For the Angels

With sorrowful reflection and in honor of those we miss at Christmas...

I stand before a Christmas tree

and listen for music from Holidays past

longing for choruses chanting joyful refrains

laced with good cheer and joy

with laughter currents and simple words

and friendship abounding

in colored ribbons and candy canes.

But those voices are no longer heard,

we placed them in eternity's arms

and prayed they would treated with love.

My heart hurts.

No cards arrive, laughter silenced.

The air is still and empty

awaiting the chorus of Angels.

Copyright 2010 JO Janoski

My Column - January Word Catalyst Magazine

A snippet from this month's column:

Never Tell

Lindy arrived at school breathless. Her hair, normally parted according to stringent standards and combed to a lovely smoothness now lay tossed about her head like a cyclone had hit. She had to pee. Again. She'd just left the house and yet there was the urge nagging at her. Slipping inside, the cool dark school interior embraced her, inviting the girl into its quiet privacy. She rushed down the hallway to the restroom and slipped in swiftly along with the dark currents she rode on.

In the tiny bathroom, the air was suffocating. Cigarette smoke assaulted her throat, burning and choking. The startled faces of her classmates snapped her to reality.

"Lindy, what the hell? I guess you're going to report us for smoking in here." Brenda Longshore waved the ciggie through the air as she spoke, using it for emphasis. One angry blue eye made its way glaring through the haze.

"I won't tell."

"Yeah, like we believe you. The biggest goody two-shoes in the school."

Lindy flushed with embarrassment. Why did people call her that? "I'm not gonna tell. I promise," she stammered. Read more