Jigsaw Puzzle" There is a puzzle that has become undone ever so often in my life, It is the same puzzle each time but when ever it is broken apart it is never the same to put together again, And though some things remain the same this puzzle is universal to me just as 9 planets revolve around the sun, The pieces are jagged like fragmented glass which cut so easily like a sharpened knife, The hurt that is created once the puzzle is jumbled is so very intense, It's a pain that spans a lifetime if the puzzle is not assembled correctly, And as each piece is carefully placed with the steady hand of a surgeon's pace back to it's original form, Each reflects the truthful glare of life so intently that it is felt deep in my soul which takes me on a melancholy journey, And as the images brand my mental as the pictures quickly show, A sense of self-doubt washes over my essence and begs me to ask myself, "WHY?" Why waste the time and energy needed to complete this puzzle? I already know what the final result will be, So why should I share? Especially when indirectly I did not make this mess so why does it weigh so heavy on me? How could one be so callous not to care what their actions so directly cause, Because deep down I know, Just as the sun shares its rays for others to feel the warmth, I know I must endure to complete this no matter how much hurt I will face or tears inside eventually I will shed, For directly it is me who will allow another to bask in the beauty of this completed puzzle again, I must move on and remember not to carry the pain it took to complete this task, And eventually the owner of what is now this Jigsaw Puzzle will one day show, So I must persevere and correct this mess, Then shine it up as if it were new, But most of all in the end I must, Guard and Protect it with better judgment against those with weak character who have false and ill intentions, With this puzzle I now struggle with myself to find the love to put back in, So what is this image that will reflect so strong and deep once my puzzle is complete, In order to really appreciate the sight it will become, One must be able to see the value of what it is now, Even in this humble messy start, Because the Jigsaw Puzzle I now speak about, Are the shattered pieces of my Broken Heart................ Poet known as "Crucial"

"Gift That Is" Fortunate to find you when I did, I was down, But definitely not out, Inner Voices inside my head fighting to gain control, Mentally the headaches slowly attempting to break my will, Formally introduced the left side to my right side which in turn freed my creativity, You brought Peace to my Mind with you're calm unnerving presence, Allowing me to stop the pounding quiet the ringing to formulate my ideas, While organizing once what were untamed thoughts, That now flows smoothly in a Spoken Word. Never knew how dark my heart was until you brought light, You shined, To show me my dirty corners with my unattractive appearance, That before any one, Or any woman could Love me I had to Love me second, Because first I needed to know "What is Love?" Then eventually acknowledge "Who did Love me?" "What was Love?" "What in the end for my future could Love be for me?" But not until you came did any of this I debate and see. Speaking to me on the plight of my Culture from the Mother Land thru the Middle Passage to the Auction Block up in Master Willie's Lynching Tree, Congregated to be Segregated divided by outside others then ignorantly ourselves thru our own diverse unique shaded colors, Telling me about those with more incarceration than education, From hustling on corners to cornering the hustle, To Righteously no longer being held down. You help keep my Karma at ease helping me to find Inner Balance, Shared a renewed fire to warm an old burning soul, Like inspiration reading the Book of Psalms, Kindred Spirits, But you helping me, Me needing you, To share these intimate stories from my past lives, Expressing to me New Faith, To tell my already existing Faith, I need to dig deeper to have more Faith, Cause you showed me having Faith, Is good smart sense. You replenish me fueling my Artistic Desires, Encouraging me to make my dreams reality, Finally feeding my confidence to write about it all, While thru the experiences never diminishing my Hope, You encircle my Hope to protect it, Keeping it clear of convoluted thoughts, Speaking directly to me via Hope's pure essence, Where finally I realize, You were inside speaking to me from the start, When I was young I did hear you, But too impatient to actually listen, You are with me currently helping to define me, Glad you stuck by me to help me express who and what I am, Prepared to follow you where ever in my future you insist to lead me, Cause without you I cease to exist, You are my Sanity, "Gift That Is" Poetry . Poet known as "Crucial" 2003