MEET . . . Ms. Leah M. Baldwin...I’m a student at the University of Pittsburgh currently majoring in English Literature. I attend Bidwell Presbyterian Church, where I work with the young ladies. I also have poetry readings at the church.     © Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. No portion of this work may be duplicated or copied without the expressed written consent of the author. return to local poets page    Piece by piece…bit by bit… I’m slowly giving me away and I’ll be all gone… A hug a kiss a small caress, Supposed love revealed… But still… Piece by piece…bit by bit… A painful act…a bruised face…and broken heart Piece by piece…bit by bit… A new name… a new face…a new hope for… A hug a kiss and yet the same… Piece by piece…bit by bit… The same story, the same lines, the same everything…the same… Piece by piece…bit by bit… A vicious cycle when nothing’s learned No change made, and supposed love flows, ebbs and fades. Piece by piece…bit by bit… I’m broken now it seems and can’t keep going on…not like this One person after the other adding to each others pain, spiraling slowly, slowly out of control Piece by piece…bit by bit… What’s love…I can’t find it… And I keep giving what I think I suppose could be love… But it’s me I’m giving My values I’m sacrificing My God I’m setting aside And still… gaining nothing Piece by piece…bit by bit… There is no peace and no man can love me like God And the price is too big to pay for those who want to try… And if I keep trying then Piece by piece…bit by bit… I’m slowly giving me away and I’ll be all gone…

My Abstraction Grasping a star… or maybe just a glance every time I meet you… a peek…a smile...a shoulder just trying to see you and… your eyes and... lips and… spirit I want to hold…to love…to squeeze… you’re my intimate… my other…my spirit mate… I have your name and wear your ring… I am your other…your domestic …your keeper A physical manifestation of God’s love. When we touch I know why God created man and woman. Oh and when we disagree my whole being can shake… But we stay stable due to where our joy lies… You, me, my… We worship together, eat together, lie together And still sometimes I need just a whisper of …you …a scent of… you …just a feel of you…your presence… The only one before you being Christ…God… I love you… You’re like grasping a star…

Incomplete Does he see me…I mean yeah he sees these deep dark brown eyes and dimpled smile… Yeah he sees these ample hips and full bust…but does he really see me…I mean does he see me… the me behind the schooling… behind the job… behind the “hey sweetheart God was just showing off when he created you…”  I mean does he really see the struggle the pain mixed with joy…the love steeped with regret…the anger side by side with the hope…can he see behind the smile to the tears intermingled with laughter …to the person underneath it all…can he love the person with all her faults …all her baggage all her doubt along with all her love and her optimism despite the opposition…to the hope that still remains and sustains her even after so much so much I mean damn does he see me. Does he know me…yeah he knows my name and my approximate size and maybe even my age…but does he really know me…does he know I prefer yellow roses to red and love the color purple…does he know I sometimes talk and laugh to myself when no one is around or that I still am trying to learn the dances on Thriller… he may know my major, where I work, what church I attend but does he know the inside of my fears and insecurities...my dreams and aspirations… that I love the sound of the rain and when I walk I sing gospel out loud…does he know when I’m upset and hiding my anger with a smile… does he know more then the superficial…the outside…  does he know what the inside of my spirit looks like… does he know me… Will he be there…really be there…not just through the beautiful lovely times…the times of agreement and unlimited affection…not just on those evening when candles are glowing and everything is right…will he be there through the midnights of my life …when disagreements and chaos reign…when everything seems to be crumbling and there are deafening silences…crushed dreams…and hurt egos…will he be there… not just when I am saying yes and its so easy …so easy to just sit and be in each others presence…will he be there when it hurts to even look at me…will he pray for me and give encouragement through the times I can’t even say amen…will he love the brokenness of me along with the wholeness…will he be there …