THE MISSING PIECE
		    by Ken Cushing
When I was young
And just a child
My Father saw that I'd grown wild.
To save my soul from being defiled,
He gave a puzzle of many pieces.

I tried to solve it
Not for long
For soon I heard the siren song.
The world was telling me, "It's wrong
To sort the puzzle pieces."

But when my rotten flesh was spent
My dreams forgotten, my heart was bent.
I turned my soul and humbly went
To sort the puzzle pieces.

A harsh travail
A bitter task
There was no person I could ask
To help me tear away the mask
And sort the puzzle pieces.

I'd finally finished!
Now I'm done!
But wait!  There's more!  But wait, there's one
Piece missing from the puzzle.
I'll find the missing piece.

I searched the cushions
Of the couch
I dumped the vacuum cleaner out.
I vainly dug through all the house
To find the missing piece.

My heart gave up.
My brain kicked in.
If I can't find it, I'll still win!
I'll make a piece and put it in!
Who needs that missing piece?!

I fashioned it
With little heart.
I have the answers.  I'm so smart!
But my sad piece still stood apart
From all the puzzle pieces.

I shoved it in.
It screamed and hissed.
There must be something I have missed.
I closed my heart and clenched my fist
At all the puzzle pieces.

But people told me
"What a treasure!
To see your puzzle's quite a pleasure!"
But in my heart, it didn't measure
Up to other pieces.

I was wrong.
So why hide it?
Makes no sense to try and fight it.
Found a friend, and I confided
I'd used the wrong piece.

He said, "It's okay
Now because
Your piece is shaped just like a cross.
No longer will you suffer loss!"
He gave the missing piece.

It shimmered
Like a falling star!
No girl, no money and no car
No reckless night drunk in a bar
Compares to my lost piece!

I put it in.
My vision changed!
The world in splendor rearranged!
I saw how helplessly deranged
I was without my piece.

And now I seek
To find a friend
To help his madness quickly end:
A heart to heal, a life to mend.
I'll share my missing PEACE!