Oak Park and River Forest High School graduate Jody Kennedy, who just published her first book, will be joining friends old and new at Robert’s Westside on Oct. 24 for pizza, sweets, beer and wine. Celebrating “Clumsy Beauty”.
“Clumsy Beauty” is a collection of poems depicting the trials and beauty of everyday life.
“I think this material is universal,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy left his career as a beer salesman in Colorado, where he had been since graduating college, and moved to Wisconsin earlier this year to pursue writing full time.
She started writing “Clumsy Beauty” about two years ago as a way to get through a difficult time in her life. Kennedy said she created an Instagram account and began posting short poems every day.
“I decided to open an Instagram account at a time when most people would have consulted a therapist,” Kennedy said. ”
And people followed suit. Kennedy’s Instagram account currently has more than 37,000 followers. This platform is how Mandala Publishing discovered Kennedy’s work and commissioned her to write a book.
The poems in this book are primarily about the beauty of life, accepting imperfections, and how humans often experience the same emotions through it all.
“We are led to believe that we are completely separate, completely different, and all strangers. But in reality, we are all very similar. We all share the same emotions. and emotions,” Kennedy said.
“In this madness of human existence, there is beauty within all of us. As we stumble within ourselves, we stumble upon others.” Kennedy said.
Excerpt from “Clumsy Beauty”
inhibition
How many ideas do you have?
have we given up
because we imagined
Is someone laughing?
Just how bright is it?
sitting side by side
Inhibition of road?
Now let’s go collect
do our ego a favor
I purposely left it behind.
geometry
It’s all geometry,
find out
What fits?
not necessarily
For better or worse,
it’s just learning
In what form?
whose shape
belong to
internal
your.
fear
I tried to suppress my fear
at a safe distance
But of course it is
It followed me everywhere.
It wasn’t until I let it happen
please stay close to me
What I noticed
it was just
trying to lead me outside
from where
I came in.
Kennedy added that moving back to the Midwest during the publication of her first book was very poignant for her.
“I think this is a sign of a return home, both mentally and physically, and a longing for that,” Kennedy said.
While “Clumsy Beauty” wasn’t necessarily inspired by Kennedy’s upbringing in the area, she said, “Childhood and adolescence and the rediscovery of creativity…all of that came from childhood.” spoke.
Kennedy said she thought her new book event at Robert’s Westside would be exciting and in some ways strange.
“When you’re not home for a long time, you don’t realize how much of a home it is,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy attended high school with Robert’s Westside owner Donnie Biggins. She said she hopes events there will foster local connections.
“I’m excited to renew something old and create something new,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy’s book tour may include other stops in Wisconsin and Colorado. She is hoping to sign a second book, but has not yet received a formal offer from a publisher.
What Ms. Kennedy hopes her former neighbors and other local residents who want to become writers will gain from her journey, she says, is that your experience is original and meaningful. He said he wanted them to remember that.
“Remind yourself that being human is really hard, and we’re all in it together,” Kennedy said. “Your story is completely unique from anyone else’s. It’s always worth writing it down, telling it, and sharing it, because you never know what’s going to happen.”
