Local resident publishes first book of her poetry

Johanna Johnson holds a copy of her new book.

Poetry written by Amherstburg resident Johanna Johnson has now been published in book form.

“Expressions of Faith, Hope and Love” has been published by Johanna Johnson with some of the poems dating back a couple of decades. Johnson noted it was Father Donato Lwiyando who originally encouraged her to publish her work when Father Donato was the associate priest of St. John the Baptist Church. Father Donato would eventually go back to his homeland of D.R. Congo and start the Hope of St. Joseph Shelters.

“I started writing what is in the book in 2006,” said Johnson. “It kind of flows out of me. It comes through me through the Holy Spirit. It’s very easy to write.”

Johnson said she often writes about what she is going through or what others are experiencing. Johnson has suffered injuries and has had surgeries and those experiences are voiced through her poems, but she also tries to comfort others as they experience grief and that can also lead to poems and writings.

Work in the book deals with truth, honesty, forgiveness and love, she explained. Photographs in her book are taken by her and come from her own garden.

“It’s what is important to me in my life,” she said.

There are also lighthearted poems in “Expressions of Fath, Hope and Love,” she said.

Some of her poems have helped people, Johnson added, and she noted Father Donato’s brother has reached out to her for a copy of her new book.

Actually compiling the book has been an approximate two-year process, with Johnson stating she hoped to have it out last Christmas but it is now available this Christmas. 

“It deals with all sorts of circumstances people have in their life,” she said.

The book is $30 and available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and ReaderHouse.com. A ten per cent discount is offered through the latter in November by entering the promo code “FFSave10.” It is also available locally at the River Bookshop.

Johnson said she is also writing two other books, one with a children’s theme with her own artwork inside. The other is more autobiographical in nature she hopes will inspire others.

“I’ve never stopped writing,” she said.

Local resident publishes first book of her poetry

By Ron Giofu