I’m a Puzzle Piece

By Abigail Davis

I’m a puzzle piece pulled out of a box and dumped on a coffee table 
searching for my place amongst the others.
Watching as the edges come together,
their straight, strong lines joining in community.
But my lumpy bumpy sides do not belong there.
So instead, I search the middle,
watching as others find their connecting links,
as their features balance one another.
A few try to fit into mine,
and I feel a momentary spark of hope 
until they quickly realize my sides are no match for what they need
and they move along.
I watch as each one finds his or her place,
and as the puzzle is almost completed 
and the available spots are lessened,
I begin to wonder
if all along I’ve been in the wrong box.

Abigail spends most of her free time escaping reality through the realm of books. She is an enthusiastic participant in her local poetry and writer’s groups. Her work is found in One Page Poetry’s 2023 Anthology, her local poetry zine Poetic Voices, and the blog Writing in a Woman’s Voice.