Richard D. Givens- Three Poems

                JIGSAW

                Within this puzzle, I am but a piece -
                A puzzle to the whole and hard to fit.
                The players search for gaps where I might sit
                But sadly note my form, without relief.
                Conformity is absolutely planned.
                There’s just one space, and just one piece that’s me.
                That everything is ordered and complete
                Does justify my change by human hand.

                But now another player enters in
                And looks upon the puzzle parts all locked,
                Convicts the others of their jigsaw sin
                And casts the joining parts back in the box.
                The Maker saved one piece from this same doom...

                He picked me up and took me from the room.



                THE ANSWER ON THE BREEZE
                   (To the tune of Amazing Grace)


Alone, adrift, I hit the deck and prayed upon my knees
And then I heard and felt God's breath upon the coming breeze.

The sails, once limp, did luff and pop and harden on the wind
And timbers groaned against the tide upon a sea of sin.

At last, my vessel gathered speed and crashed upon the waves
Of hate and pride, of greed and lies pushed up where evil bathes

Then rushed across the darkened troughs of guilt, despair and shame
Until the foam did fly in fear.  The lanyards sang His Name.

She plowed ahead, the compass true, the helm was now unmanned,
But someone set my course toward some distant promised land.

I looked ahead and thanked my Savior, who just set me free
From glassy waters full of doom, upon His gracious breeze.




FOR A LITTLE WHILE

For a little while
On the sixth day,
Everything was,
Without words
To describe it.



Richard D. Givens, a life-long resident of the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, started reading and writing poetry by the 6th grade.  After attaining a degree in English, he honed his skills as he supported his family through various careers, from truck driving to I.T. network support to oilfield sales.  He published a small volume in 1975, but continued to get printed in various periodicals, anthologies and contests over the years.  Richard taught "Creative Writing With the Tools of Poetry" at the local community college and has done readings and a workshop in his Valley home.  Recently retired, he plans to do more writing in his spare time.