Kentrell Blanche

This collection is a combination of everything I am as well as everything I had to be in order to evolve. This is a memoir of the direction of my life; love, happiness, and not so proud moments.

This collection is me being honest with myself, acknowledging the parts of me that I never share with others. At this very moment, I am plagued with anxiety, I am overwhelm, and honestly...I am exhausted...with everything. I'm tired of sharing the sweetest parts of me just to have relationships go sour. I'm tired of the encrypted affection and misleading conversations. I'm tired of being given away after being taken for everything (by my job, friends, lovers). I know the day will come that I am able to look back on all of this and truly be grateful for being in a better place. But, that day just isn't coming fast enough.

I created this during a very vulnerable period in my life; going back and forth trying to distinguish real from entertainment. I was so ready to love but, had no idea of where to start with loving someone else nor loving myself. I allowed different influences to lead the way and that was never the answer. This is a record of what was; a train wreck just because.

After a series of highs and lows and battling cons and pros, I came to the close realization that I may very well never know the type of connection that I wish to share with another person. I'm not "ok" with my conclusion but, loneliness seems to be my only companion. This is my truth. These are my secrets.

This is a short story about being side tracked. This is a story about almost trading away special dreams just to live out a short term fantasy. If you allow self doubt and the opinions of others to shape you then you will never realize how unique you are and how wonderfully you were made. Keep yourself open to answers from the Universe and you just might be surprised at how much assistance you will receive. God is always trying to direct us towards the Right Lane.

A contest was held. The theme was "Poetry Is Life". Out of the many Poets who answered the call, one was chosen as the grand prize winner and eight were chosen as honorable mentions. They represent diverse backgrounds and different viewpoints but all are talented and skilled in the art of poetry. Poet Speak Magazine presents to you the work of those nine gifted Poets. As an added bonus, several poems written by our two Editors are included at the end of this collection.

A contest was held. The theme was "Poetry Is Life". Out of the many Poets who answered the call, one was chosen as the grand prize winner and eight were chosen as honorable mentions. They represent diverse backgrounds and different viewpoints but all are talented and skilled in the art of poetry. Poet Speak Magazine presents to you the work of those nine gifted Poets.

I don't want to go back to Florida Unless You're the sand That I'm taking to the beach. Can't see myself Building castles Unless you're next to me. A royal connection, You're more than Perfection. You are the vessel That keeps me afloat. You are the energy That gives me hope. Hoping upon stars Has never gotten me far Yet, Here we are... ...you shooting across the sky And me making room For you to land Dead in the center of my life. You have permission To disturb. You have permission To unearth. Dig me up And caress my roots. Even when I'm detached, I still flourish for y

everything is always up in the air when it comes to me and this is everything that I will always be.

Poetry Collection from the Editors of Poet Speak Magazine. These are bold and truthful poems taken from Issue #23 of the online and print publication.

A lot of people live a life tinged with darkness. We live, we love, we lose, our hearts break and through all of this we are expected to carry on with a smile on our faces. This causes a certain beauty to our sadness and it s a testament to the strength of our souls. We survive heartache after heartache to experience momentary touches of romance. This poetry collection takes the reader on a journey of highs and lows in love. Relationships without truth and communication can be a dark reality.

Two different stories of two very different young black men. One was led in the right direction since birth but the other one made up his own rules. Both must come to terms with their hearts, their hopes and the hills they have to climb to become better men. Will they make it?

These days, I walk away when I should; At this point in my life, I no longer go out of my way To be understood. Although It would be nice to have someone Who knows what I mean When I say what I have to say, I have learned that Seeking society's approval Is a waste Of the day. No one is going to Get where you're coming from 100% of the time But, That doesn't mean That you should change your mind- And make those decisions That would be Relatively easier to accept; I have already spent enough time Sacrificing myself- Sacrificing my happiness For the smile On the next man's face; My heart still beats But At a very different pace. At this point, I can honestly say That adapting to troubled waters Is much less of a burden Than having faith in a bridge That ultimately Won't serve its purpose

From the Editors of Poet Speak Magazine come 51 Poems that Inspire and Instruct, that Question and Teach, that Encourage and Motivate, that Empower and Elevate.

We all live our lives in varying degrees of satisfaction, fulfillment, success, love and happiness and even sanity at times but the one thing we all search for whether it is voiced or not is More...