My Story Poems

Hi, I’m Beverley Joy of Simply Story Poetry. I have been writing poems since 2011. You can read or listen to my poems and verses at Simply Story Poetry on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn and on my Podcast.

I write story poetry about life, nature, friendship, love and my Christian faith. I deliberately write and speak in clear, simple English so that my poetry can be understood by the majority of English speaking people around the world.

Here are poems I have written about my poetry journey:

A Puzzling Picture

I started writing poetry in 2011 while travelling around Australia in a motorhome. I wrote this poem while in Western Australia, reflecting on my struggle to accept the gift I had of writing poetry. Back then, I thought it was an interesting but frivolous gift. What good could become of it? when I told people that I write poetry, they would look at me strangely. Why couldn’t I have the gift of writing stories or painting? Despite how I felt about my gift, it kept pouring out of me. I didn’t share my poetry with anyone outside of close family members. I was too shy and sensitive to potential criticism.

At that time in my life, I was a mature aged woman, I had no higher education past high school, I had been a full-time mother for over a decade with limited work experience outside of motherhood. My two daughters were now adults living independently. I was at a turning point in my life.

Who was I now without children at home? What was my profession? Who was I as a poet? Was poetry just a hobby for me or would it become something more than just a pastime? I had no idea. I had no plan for it because I knew nothing about what to do with my poetry other than letting it pour out of me onto paper. I had no idea how fulfilling sharing my poetry would become for me. This poem is the first of three poems that I wrote when I first started thinking about sharing my poetry with the world. Beverley Joy

I look at a picture of me on the wall

And ask “Who is a failure in the eyes of the world?

I have not achieved financial success

Uni degrees or personal finesse.

I observe life differently

I keep to myself, sitting quietly

Thinking, contemplating, observing

Recording my findings in poetry writing.

A preoccupation considered by many

As “off with the fairies” silly and lazy

The strange hobby of writing

In poetic rhythm and rhyme.

My poetry helps me process life

In creating a poem a problem is solved

Each poem is a piece of life’s jigsaw puzzle

Though unfinished, to critics it looks messy and jumbled.

But to me, my puzzle is forming a picture

Shaped with exciting colours and adventure

As I contemplate where to place each piece

I piece together rhythmic poems that beat with my heart’s song.

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

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It’s Simply The Way It Is

This is one of three poems that I wrote when I first started thinking about sharing my poetry. I wrote this poem 7 years before I started sharing my poetry. I wrote it while I was living a very simple lifestyle, travelling around Australia in a motorhome (I lived in a motorhome for four years). I had a supply of writing paper to compose poems on, my old guitar to strum while I quietly sang my favourite songs in the cool of the evening, and my camera with which to capture new places I had discovered, including many quiet, country and bush camping spots alongside creeks and rivers.

Back then, I was self-conscious about my individual style of poetry. It seemed different to other poetry styles that I read. I felt the same way about my singing voice which was soft and gentle, not powerful and loud like so many female singers. But I was encouraged to find poets, both written and spoken word poets, and singers that wrote and sang in a similar style to my own. I soon learnt to relax and be myself and simply share my style of poetry, and those who like it will connect with me and those who don’t, won’t connect with me, and that’s ok. Beverley Joy

I love to write poems

They pour out of me

I simply share the facts

No frills attached.

I love to sing

My favourite songs

With expression and love

Gentle and soft.

I have a passion

For taking photos

Life’s moments are captured

Of my memories and adventures.

I love to sit in the breeze

Watch the leaves rustle in the trees

Breath in the perfume of the season

Listen to birds sing in the early morning.

I love the simple things

That’s just the way it is

There will be those who stay with me

There will be those who turn and leave.

I am who I am

God made me this way

I’ve learnt to be content in my skin

Developing and sharing my gifts.

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Image by Dariusz Sankowski from Pixabay

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Stop Wasting Time And Get On With It

I wrote this poem when my daughters had grown up and moved out of our family home and were living independently. I had always been there for them. I was a proud, doting mum. I had continued to push my goals to the side. I don’t regret a minute of my motherhood years. But the time had come when I had no more excuses. Even my girls were telling me to do more with my life than be a servant to everyone. It felt strange to throw out my old ‘motherhood’ lifestyle, that I was so comfortable and safe in, to replace it with a new unknown lifestyle as a single mature aged woman.

I was getting older, my youth was slipping away. I needed to smarten up and start working on achieving the goals that had sat dormant in my heart, but that now were stamping their feet to be let out. I didn’t know where to start or what to do first. I had never made plans that revolved around just me. I felt guilty and selfish. But I did realize that to achieve my writing goals, I needed to stop procrastinating by being ‘busy’ doing non-goal related tasks around the house, which I could always find plenty of them to do, and learn to focus my attention and time on goal-related tasks. That was easier said than done!

Then, one day, in 2014, I sat down at my tablet and spent three days straight typing my memoirs. It would be another six years before I gave my rough notes to an author to write them into a novel, which was to be released in 2022. It was during that six-year period that I wrote many poems, which I published on this website and my podcast. This poem is the last of three poems I have shared over the past few weeks. I wrote these poems when I first started thinking about sharing my poetry with the world. Beverley Joy

My confidence is shattered

I can’t trust myself

To make wise decisions

That will move me on in life.

I want to move forward

Solider on, as usual

But, I hesitate to change my ways

I wish my life could stay the same.

My desires don’t shine in neon lights

My voice doesn’t echo with thunderous might

I’m invisible, like a waiter, I’m here to serve

To assist when required and then, step aside.

Now, I can no longer say I don’t have the time

To pursue the gift that God chose as mine

But, fear weighs down the soles of my shoes

Self-doubt resists my need to move.

My mind is shouting,

“Stop and listen to yourself

Can’t you see the opportunity?

You’re at a crossroad in your life

You can’t stand still, you must decide.”

“It’s time to walk a creative path

Explore your talents; record your memoirs

Gather the skills your journey will need

Travel with your friend – curiosity.”

“Now get on with it

Stop wasting time

Before it’s too late

And you’re dead with regret.”

Ok, I’ll pack my bag

There’s no turning back

I’ll change my life path

I’ll follow my heart.

I’ll let go of others

To look after themselves

Trust them to be guided

By someone other than myself.

I’ll let others give to me

A helping hand in my time of need

I’ll feel their love and kindness

Which I will gratefully accept.

This new dimension to my life

Is unusual and uncomfortable

A creative step, so necessary

To allow me to explore my creativity.

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Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay

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I wrote this poem in 2018 after my first attempt at setting up my WordPress website. I found these new words and lingo (well, new to me back then) amusing and interesting to write and play with the words.

My WordPress journey continues

I must confess, I’m still a novice

Some look at my blog address

And gasp in horror “She needs help.”

I’ve Linkedin and Plugged in, Iconed and Badged

I Liked and smiled, Opted in and out

I Edit and podcast and Widget Icons

I post for instagramification.

I Customize my Appearance

Gravatar and Personalize

So you’ll Spotify my profile

Hoping you’ll connect and follow.

Are you listening with Pinterest?

Does my poetry make you Twitter?

Someday we’ll Meetup on Youtube?

But today, please stay and visit.

You may also enjoy My Poetry Story

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I wrote this poem just for a laugh after I had been writing the story of my poetry journey. My journey has been anything BUT funny since I started 15 months ago. It’s been hard work and a steep learning curve. But, the language and jargon of this internet world we now live in always make me laugh. Beverley Joy