Try Walking in My Shoes: Short Stories and Poems

By Jean Marlette Swanagan

“ Vibrant Short Stories and Poetic Melodies… Beautifully written that mirrors the Triumphant, Love and the Struggles of life from the drawing on the cover that inspired it.” This is my voice and my story. My book is about body, mind and soul to take along your life journey and maybe you can relate to some of my experiernces I have been through or know someone who has…

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Feb 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781663236258

Jean Marlette Swanagan

I am a Writer. Author, Poet and a Philosopher. I am retired from the State of Illinois Attorney General’s Lisa Madigan’s Office. I am Pulished in several books through Neighborhood Writing Alliance Journal Ordinary Thought. I am a Pulished Author I have written, “Write The Vision and At The End It Shall Speak” A Collection of Poems and Short Stories. I asked God what should I do with my life. I tossed and turned I could not sleep. I got up and looked out the window and I seen fireworks exploding high in the sky. A rainbow of colors cascading down to the ground. At that moment I had a vision a gift from God to write. I picked up some paper and a pen. I started writing everything down that came to my mind from the voice inside my head. I love going to plays, traveling and Designing Art and Crafts through my imagination. I love to listen to music, watch movies, travel and dining out to fine food restaurants. I enjoy the love of life, having fun and to laugh with family and friends.

Book preview

Copyright © 2022 Jean Marlette Swanagan.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means,

graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by

any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

iUniverse

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®.

NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]

Cover art by CherylA. Martin.

ISBN: 978-1-6632-3626-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-3625-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022903393

iUniverse rev. date:   02/22/2022

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Try Walking in My Shoes

Remembering My Parents

Summertime Was When Living Was Easy

Injured

Thirteen

Jean

Ugly Betty

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Hill Crest Avenue

Easy Money

I Didn’t Do Nuthin’?

Poems: Melodies to Elevate Your Mind as They Did Mine

God Sent Me An Angel

Heavenly

My Guiding Light

The Journey

No Regrets

An Invisible Rope

Death and a Funeral

Who Stole the Joy?

Someone Is Knocking at My Door

A Tribute to Those Who PassedAway

Joan

Allyne

A Sonnet

Mr. X

Zoned Out

What’s on My Mind, and How It Affected Me?

Preface

I wish to make plain my thoughts in this matter.

I must say that any and all acts and names used in this book are purely coincidental. The names have been changed to protect the innocent, and these are my personal and emotional expressions of my experiences in life and may not be duplicated in any way or form.

Do not diminish in any way this report.

And we know that in all things God works

for the good of those who love him, who

have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I must give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave me the vision that started me to write. A gift must be told at an appointed time.

This book is dedicated to my three sons, whom I love very much, and their children and their children’s children. May each generation be better than the last.

I give special thanks to my parents. Without them I would not be here to fulfill my vision and for all they have done for me. I love you and miss you very much. You are always in my thoughts and prayers.

I give special thanks to my son Mark, whom I love very much and who has always been there for me through the highs and lows of our lives, struggling in these days and times to live better lives. I give special thanks to my church, St. Katharine Drexel Parish.

I give special thanks to my granddaughter Christian for her many calls and visits and the special things she does for me.

I give special thanks to my grandson Michael for keeping in touch with me. I give special thanks to all my nieces and nephews, who, I love very much.

I give special thanks to my niece Jileesa for coming over to help me with some difficult situations I was having to get my book noticed and out to the public.

I give special thanks to my phone buddies and close friends Cheryl, Cynthia, Barbara, Jewel, Marvalene and Shirley.

Try Walking in My Shoes

Try walking in my shoes, and listen to what they have to say.

Just look at my shoes; they speak for themselves,

tired and all worn out, trying to survive.

See how far you can go from place to place,

around the world, going everywhere