Joni Nichols

"...sheer Drapes on My Windows...": a Collection of Writings and Poems Joni Nichols

I grew up in a loud house with a lot to say, finding much of it left behind for paper and music to find, she says about these scraps that were never intended to be poetry until she discovered "that's what they were."Set to the sounds of TVs and telephones, constant interruptions and messy choices, Joni's voice captures the human struggle beneath zooming-by, ever-shifting American joy. Her lens moves through the various spheres of life, tearing things apart in a gentle, welcome way. Earthy, but not pseudo spiritual; grounded, but not heavy with brain-thick molasses, she is a wise every-day sister who genuinely celebrates the conquering of despair with a coke and a cookie from the 711 down the street. Her first contribution of this kind, this journey told in a handful of pieces-which she calls sisters to her songs-is part of the story behind her life. But the poetry is for you. For you to walk down the pathways she has marked, to experience the freedom in your own body to enjoy new truths. It's a glance through a window where you'll find the moments of your day. And learn something about what you see.