Today Jani Kelly, a gifted poet and wheelchair bound resident of the Josephinum, has become a local legend. Her words are part prayer, part poetry, with a sprinkling of passion and a good dose of mysticism. On those cold, dark days when all is lost, and nothing will sustain you, Jani’s voice rings with the truth. This poet laureate speaks to your soul.

Lauren Groff’s collection of stories share only one common thread: the loud, squawking desperation of working-class lives that inevitably come to an end in a one-two knockout punch. I’m glad to see a writer of considerable merit depicting working-class characters that no one really wants to know about. People are dying, rotting away, flicking cigarette ashes on the food they are about to eat, before blowing out their brains with a shotgun.

Wings of Joy is an original poem by Jani Kelly.