This section is devoted to a selected poet of the month.

 

The Poet Featured This Month Is

 

 

 

Josie is the Cohost of a poetry venue at Barnes and Noble in San Antonio, Texas.

 They meet every first and third Wednesday of the Month. Check out her story and poetry below.

 

 

Josie Mixon was born in Mission Texas. She is a survivor of sexual abuse

and domestic violence. At the age of 13 she gave birth to her son as a result of continued abuse. At the age of 16 she married her first husband, simply to get away from the violence and abuse. Within the first month her husband became abusive both mentally and physically. He beat her so bad once that she could not get off of the floor. This lasted for 14 years before she had the courage and support to leave this relationship..

 

It was during this abusive time that Josie began writing poetry to escape the physical and emotional trauma. In 2005 she was introduced to poetry therapy by Jim Brandenburg, cerified poetry therapist, and adjunct faculty at San Antonio College. She found some of her old poems and began to write again.Shortly after meeting Jim Brandenburg she found her voice and began reading in some the small venues in San Antonio. It was throughj her voice that poetic justice was found for herself and other victims and survivors of abuse.

 

Josie is now a force to be reckoned with an activist speaking out to communities and support groups. She is now featured at several reading places in South Texas. She has spoken at local and national conferences which focus on sexual abuse and violence. She is a highly sought after voice during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month , Which takes place in October every year.

 

   

 Her two poetry publications , Reflections of a battered Life, Of Flesh Flesh and Bones I am Woman Surviving Abuse. Her poems have been pubished in numerous magazines, papers, anthologies and on line. She co-authored the screen play, Can You Believe It, Which premiered at the Carver Community Center in November 2008.

 

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For More Information You Can Contact Josie By The Following

 

 210-219-8859

 

 

 

 

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A woman

Walks in the room

Exuding an unusual radiance of being

Not quite her usual self

Persuading herself with courage

And strength of a thousand

Battererd women

Strung across her breast

Fall the finest of pearls

A thrift store could culture

Closely resembling

Her dangling earrings

Hair, long and curley

Scented with floral hints

Highlighted with natures silver

Skiun, morena like her ancestors

Lingering scent of perfume

As if Estee Lauder

Just left the room

Leaving her feelings and smelling Beautiful

Injecting herself with self-esteem

Clearance rack dress

Clinging and detailing

The dos and don'ts

Of this feminine body

Strides, taken with energy

Against the northern winds

To stop, to look, to speak

Lips amuse the mind

Following careful instructions

While reading letters from the past

As free verse poems

An invitation for curious ears

To listen to the strangers heart

Words spoken with truth

With little consequence or eloquence

History repeating itself

In movies created by the haunted mind

Charecters replaced seat by seat

A sequence of events takes place

Before her eyes

as an audience remembers

A series of violence

Where only the names have changed

Crying at every corner

While standing in your blind spot

Yet today I am front and center

As I march

In pursuit of justice, acknowledgement and awareness

I damn those

Who still look away

I damn those who still ask why

I didn't leave

Once, my eyes reflected my battered life

Without shame or embarassment

Today I stand before you

Promoting awareness

As I reconcile with my past

Let it be heard

Let it be read

Let it be felt in the deepest of your heart

I no longer hang my head

Noticing the color of your shoes

Instead I am

A reminder pain, hurt and rejection

Unwanted attention

Where fear bred itself

Into the victim I once was

I ride my life

Upon the tip of an arrow

Piercing my way into others lives

Through the gust of hurricane winds

Who wish that I go away

Yet here I am and there you are

Aware

 

 

by Josie Mixon

 

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My sanctuiary

Is now my destiny

Words, Words

Read out loud

Given, shape, sounds and scents

I've given myself permission to hurt

Out Loud

Where the entire world can hear me

Or ignore me

My sanctuary is found

In the faces of my sisters

In the shatters hearts of the abused

Who survived only to live again

Without the hand of violence

My voice shelters me from shame

Striking back without remorse

In different shades and shapes

My sanctuary is my pen

As it's finally found it's cannvas

With a stroke of a word

Called poetic justic

 

by Josie Mixon, c 2009

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