What About the Poem Voice?

Remember this Sandra Boynton stationery
from the 80s?

   Readers have asked me if Anna, the poem voice, was real.

    The answer is YES!
 
   That little scene in the last chapter of The Findlings, where Delilah and Bibi discuss Anna, did in fact happened. Not the whole conversation, but that portion where the women argue about the voice’s name, and Delilah reveals who it actually is.

    That single moment continues to be one of the most alarming, revealing, astounding, and beautiful moments of my life. It meant I wasn’t crazy for hearing voices, and it meant that I was being looked after. Imagine that happening to you! The moment was a game changer for me!

   Anna remained active in my life until 1985, when Mintanyo entered from stage right. She continued dictating poems and providing insights I didn't even know I needed, but relished.

   While Anna did dictate the two poems transcribed in the novel to me, she did not do so months until after I had found my birth mother Irene (Aug. 15, 1981). The longer of the poems titled “Intersections" was dictated on March 9, 1982. I had no idea what it meant at the time. I definitely understand it now. I had quite the learning curve.

   On the right are pictures of and from the journal in which I kept Anna's and my poems from 1982. 

There are, have been, and will always be tons of us who know things we can’t explain why or how we know. We know because our wiring allows it. 

  
   In The Findlings, Anna, the narrator with an agenda, does all she can to reunite her three siblings.

   In real life, she did the same thing, but in different ways. She would feed me names, and I’d have to call the operator to get phone numbers and addresses. After all, in 1981 the Internet did not exist for public use.

   You may wonder if Anna, in reality, conjured that yellow piece of paper? No, she did not. At least not to my knowledge.

   You may also wonder why I even included her in the book, given the negative attitude people have about those who hear voices, see visions, and feel premonitions.

   First, I wouldn’t be telling the story's truth if I omitted her. She actually did tell me to call Kettenburg Marine in San Diego. The elder Mrs. Kettenburg, a woman in her 80s at the time, really did answer the phone and say she was a friend of Irene’s. The fact that that even happened was beyond coincidental to me. It truly felt like fate’s forces were working in my favor. I never would have found Irene or my sister Cecilia without her.

   The second reason I included Anna was because I wanted to normalize the fact that humankind includes radio heads. There are, have been, and will always be tons of us who know things we can’t explain why or how we know. We know because our wiring allows it. 

   Finally, these voices are our helpers, our angels, our guides. They want the best for us. 

   Their help becomes magnified when you help them help you. If you don't understand what they're communicating, tell them. Ask questions. Ask for better understanding and clarity. Ask for help. I've found that the real meat shows up when I ask for clarity. While their first insight may sound awesome, wait'll you ask questions!

   A word of caution, however. If a voice or message seems mean or vengeful, it's probably not one of your guides. Dismiss the voice. There is never a need for meanness or vengeance. Never. 

Hope this helps.

Do you have a poem voice or a guide/angel? I hope you share your experiences with us!

The end of Anna's long poem with the date.

---

This is the book in which I have kept my and Anna's poems from 1982. The journal was given to me by Cecilia.

Also found on numerous journal pages: three-year-old Nicolas's pensive thoughts.

" “Wilshin’s writing is assured and lyrical, and charged with meaning, and the dash of magical realism adds to the intrigue. What makes this novel seductively readable is Wilshin’s ability to bring her characters and their complex inner lives to life. Wilshin is an author to watch.” BookView Review

Available in paperback or ebook on Amazon.

Read "The Findlings Blog" for fascinating background details and for more on Joanne's continued search to find her birthfather's side of her family.