Harsh Words: Poetry From The Souls of Life

08/12/2026

BOUNDARIES

My page is public.
My life is not.

I share what I choose to share.

My work.
My words.
My creativity.
My experiences.

That does not give anyone
ownership of my time,
my privacy,
my personal life,
or access to me.

If I don't answer,
that's an answer.

If I block you,
there's a reason.

If I feel disrespected,
I will block you.
For serious or disrespectful behavior,
screenshots may be taken and forwarded
to the appropriate parties.

Direct access to me is not guaranteed.
If a communication process is established,
you will be expected to follow it.

You don't have to like my boundaries.

You do have to respect them.
You do have to respect me as a human being.

©08/11/2026, By Jodi Harsh, My Harsh Words™

08/04/2026

MY MONEY TREE

My money tree out back,
Ain't producing green.
Someone's picking dollars
Before they're ever seen.

My ATM machine,
Won't spit out a dime.
Someone used a skimmer
To steal what's mine.

My wallet's so empty,
It whistles in the wind.
The moths packed up
And moved right in.

My piggy bank
Filed bankruptcy.
Said it couldn't handle
My economy.

My couch cushions
Ain't hiding change.
Even the pennies
Are deranged.

If money talks,
Mine lost its voice.
Being this broke
Sure wasn't my choice.

I checked my pockets,
Found lint instead.
Even my last dollar
Up and fled.

The bill collectors
Know me by name.
They keep on calling
It's always the same.

Maybe tomorrow
My luck will bloom.
Till then, I'll laugh
To make some room.

© 07/31/2026, By Jodi Harsh, My Harsh Words™

07/31/2026

PERMISSION TO BE HUMAN

The moment my pain
Makes you uncomfortable
You call it too much

The moment my voice
Gets louder than your excuses
You call it anger

You hand me rules
For emotions
You never had to carry

You expect silence
From a soul that's been screaming
For years

You want the tears
Not the truth

You want the healing
Without acknowledging
The wounds

You want me calm
While handing me
Another reason...To break

So tell me...

When did being human
Become something
That needed
Your permission?

©07/29/2026, By Jodi Harsh, My Harsh Words™

07/15/2026

07/15/2026

REFLECTIONS WITHIN CROWDFUNDING

It's official!

Reflections Within, a Forget-Me-Not poetry collection, has been approved by Kickstarter.

This book wasn't written because life was easy. It was written because it wasn't.

These poems come from trauma, loss, healing, hope, and learning that even on the hardest days, we're never truly alone.

Today I'm asking for your help to bring this book into the world.
If my words have ever encouraged you, made you think, or reminded you that your story matters too, I'd be honored if you'd support this project or simply share it with someone else.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1745400034/reflections-within?ref=720qsm

That amount should cover:
✅ Your own ISBN
✅ Copyright registration
✅ Trademark filing
✅ Proof copies
✅ Professional assistance where needed
✅ Website/domain
✅ Basic marketing to launch Reflections Within and My Harsh Words™

My words matter. Your words matter.

Real Words. Real Life. Real Trauma. Real Healing.

Thank you for believing in me and in Reflections Within. 💛🩶

A heartfelt collection of poetry that transforms pain into hope, reminding readers they are never alone in their journey.

06/07/2026

ROOFTOP BANDIT

My heart stopped.
I swear I forgot how to breathe for a second.

There she stood, on top of the
damn roof,
looking proud of herself like
she
had just conquered Everest.

Meanwhile, I was already planning how I was going to explain to the neighbors why my dog was reenacting an action movie.

"Indie!"
Nothing.
"Get in this house!"
Nothing.

Just that look.
That stubborn, hard-headed, completely unimpressed look.

So I did what any reasonable person would do.
I started bargaining.
"Go back through the window."
"Get off the roof."
"And while you're at it, fix my screen."

Still nothing.
Just standing up there like she
owned the place.

Then it hit me.

Your rent is late!

If you're gonna live here,
climb on the roof,
tear up screens,
and scare ten years off my life,

you better start contributing!

At the very least,
you can pay me in kisses,
shed enough fur to knit a blanket,
stop trying to become the neighborhood's
first rooftop pit bull.

Though judging by that face,
she'd already promoted herself to landlord. 😆

© June 6, 2026, By Jodi Harsh, My Harsh Words ™

05/31/2026

PEACE

05/25/2026

THEY SURVIVED

Not everybody who smiles is okay.
Not everybody who shows up is whole.

Some people have survived abuse...
betrayal...
abandonment...
loss...
loneliness...
and battles they never speak about out loud.

Some people learned how to laugh...
while breaking.

Some learned how to comfort others...
while silently praying
someone would notice
they were drowning too.

Some gave their hearts away
over and over...
hoping this time
love would finally feel safe.

And still...
they survived.
Not perfectly.

Not without scars.

Not without exhaustion.

But they survived.

And honestly...
sometimes that alone
is a miracle.

© May 25, 2026, By Jodi Harsh, My Harsh Words ™

05/22/2026

A PIECE OF MY HEART STILL HAS PAWS

Today six years ago
the world inside my house
went quiet

not loud quiet
not empty quiet
the kind of quiet

that steals the soul
out of a room

because your little paws
were no longer tapping
across my kitchen floor

like you owned every inch
of my heart
and maybe you did

Precious
you were never
“just a dog”

you were shotgun rides
windows cracked open
sunshine on your face
blacktop naps
followed by cool kitchen floors
like a little toddler
who could never decide
if she wanted in
or out

you were neighbors smiling
before they even knocked
you were Cindy
coming over
just to see you
even though she swore
she didn’t care for dogs

you had that kind of love
the kind that softened people
without them realizing it

I lost part of my heart
the day I let you go
across the rainbow bridge
but I still believe
love that pure
doesn’t just disappear

I believe somehow
you saw me breaking
and sent Indie
to find me

because you knew

I still needed
the sound of paws
the comfort of loyalty
the feeling of being loved
without conditions

and now
through Indie
a piece of you

still runs through this house
still follows me room to room
still reminds me
that the greatest souls
sometimes arrive
with four legs

© May 21, 2026, By Jodi Harsh, My Harsh Words ™