The Poetic Life of Joanne Zywna.

JoAnne of American House Keene grew up on a farm in New Hampshire and considers herself a New Englander, through and through.

“I love it here. I was the oldest child and fortunate to have three younger brothers. We were rural raised as my father was primarily a farmer.”

JoAnne attended Turner Falls High School and put herself through the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. One semester she grew cucumbers to raise money for her college tuition.

“I was an English major with minors in philosophy and teaching. After college, I wasn’t ready for the work world so I joined the Peace Corps in 1964. I went to Tanzania, East Africa, where I taught English on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. It was the best time of my life.”

One of JoAnne’s proudest moments was when her students, who spoke either French or Swahili, had to take a British Cambridge exam to pass English.

“It was a highly competitive test and they published the results for everyone to see. I loved these girls so much and I was thrilled when they scored number one in the country.”

All these years later, JoAnne let out a big, joyous laugh recalling her students’ achievements. She was having so much fun that she extended her time in the Peace Corps.

“I saved money then traveled the world with my Peace Corps friends. We went to Ethiopia, India, the Philippines and Japan during the cherry blossom season. We went everywhere and had this incredible experience during our youth. My bond with my Peace Corps friends will never be broken.”

JoAnne eventually returned to New Hampshire, where she met her future husband. They moved to Cape Cod and taught high school and restored old homes together.

“We taught in Chatham, a classic New England vacation spot. My husband and I devised an incredible curriculum and these kids went on to phenomenal futures. It was one of the best educational experiences I had outside of Africa.”

This was in the early 1970s and Cape Cod was getting overly crowded so JoAnne and her husband decided to move to Mexico, Maine, a small mill town.

“The school was full of love and support for the students, who came from tough upbringings. I also taught composition at the University of Maine Farmington. Some of my favorite classes were creative writing and A.P. English because there was no limit to how far those students could be pushed. It was so exciting to see students not only discover their voice but exercise it.”

JoAnne says she likes to read until her eyes fall out. A few of her favorite books are “All the Kings Men,” by Robert Penn Warren, Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment,” and “Markings,” by Dag Hammarskjold. Her favorite quote from that book is: “Life only demands from you the strength you possess. Only one feat is possible, not to run away.”

“Isn’t that powerful?” JoAnne asked.

One of her goals for coming to American House Keane was the maintenance-free lifestyle that allowed her to pursue her dream.

“I was coming up on 80 and had a lot of writing stashed away. I wanted to go to a place where I had time to work on it.”

In November 2024, JoAnne published her first book. It’s called “Once and Gone,” a slim volume of poetry based on her time in a small town of about 400 people called Weld, Maine.

“It’s a magical place and I did it as a tribute to the town and the people there. They’re all poems about the beauty of nature and human nature. I thank American House for providing me the opportunity to pursue my dream!”

Life Enrichment Director Eric Walther is one of JoAnne’s biggest fans.

“I’ve known JoAnne since the day she moved in. She’s a delightful person who has helped our community library return to an organized and active space. Her helpful and calm nature is a pleasure to be around. JoAnne always says how much she loves living in American House and it was the best choice of her life!”

We all have a story. A story that taught us something, changed us and helped define who we are. At American House, your next chapter is waiting to be written. We’re here to help you write it. Your way.