Poetic Mixture

By Cynthia Bell

Open this “Poetic Mixture;” and see what’s inside,
Allow my God given talent to take you for a ride.
Don’t judge this book by the very first poem.
Please! Dig a wee bit deeper.
Once you’ve thumbed through where my mind have gone,
I’m for certain you’ll want to keep her.
You know sometimes when you hear a song,
Or a thought may come to mind.
Someone may say something that just sticks,
And it ends up being a rhyme.
Everything is not just poetry,
There is laughter, private thoughts, and plenty of praise.
In addition there are some things that I’ve recollected,
From way back in the days.
With a twist right here and a turn over there,
This was written for your delight.
But all things are not so amusing,
When you have to take a stand and fight.
No, I haven’t always been Christ-like,
And many struggles I tastefully share.
But don’t get so holy and shut this book,
Like your mind have never been there.
Check it out! You’ll be inspired! Enjoy this hearty treat!
The whole shebang was purposely designed,
To touch your heart and make you think.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 6, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664193079

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 by Cynthia Bell.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Rev. date: 12/22/2022

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

809329

CONTENTS

Dedication

Special Thanks

Forward

Poetic Introduction

CHAPTER 1

POETIC REALITIES

1   Jesus Is The Best Thing

2   Priorities Mixed Up

3   Welcome Home

4   You Got The Job

5   This Ain’t That House

6   Incomplete

7   The Opposite of Truth

8   Come As You Are

9   Down In The Dumps

CHAPTER 2

POETIC SIDE-BUSTERS

1   Burnt

2   I Put Them On My Shelf

3   It’s Not About Me

4   It’s Just Better

5   Miracle Grow

6   Practice What You Preach

CHAPTER 3

POETIC RELATIONS

1   We Bells

2   1Corinthians 13

3   Birthday Questions

4   Fake Friend

5   Love Is You

6   Things

7   The Clean Up Woman

CHAPTER 4

POETIC MEMORIES

1   That’s How I Get My Peace

2   I’m the Kings Special Guest

3   He Put the L in Living

4   We Only Just Begun

5   Cannot Be Ignored

6   The House On The Corner

7   Seeds Of Allenville

8   God Meant for Good

9   I’m At Peace, Now

CHAPTER 5

POETIC MOTIVATION

1   Just Like Jesus

2   Own It

3   Before My Promotion

4   My Mental Hell

5   Just Praise

6   Let’s Talk About It

7   Bring Faith Back

8   Ran Up On A Soldier

9   Let Go

CHAPTER 6

POETIC APPRECIATION

1   Larger Than Life

5   A Wish For Mama

3   I Called Her

4   Heartstrings

CHAPTER 7

POETIC NOTES

1   Quit Work Now

2   Just Can’t Sleep

3   Keep a Knocking

CHAPTER 8

POETIC PROVERBS

DEDICATION

I am as proud as a peacock to dedicate this work of art to The Yellow Rose of Buckeye, Pastor Ellen Berry. Your anointing blows my mind. To me, you are an exceptional visionary and a strong, concerned, well-informed leader. Constantly, I have to drink from the saucer, for my cup runs over with Divine inspiration and selfless instruction that flows from your heart. Thank you Pastor. You did not believe that I could do this, again, but you expected me to. Because your motivation for New Jerusalem Outreach Ministries is redeem the time and no gift should lay dormant, I realize that love speaks in flowers, but the truth has thorns.

SPECIAL THANKS

Lord, You are the joy of my soul. Thank you, for tilling the ground in the garden of my heart and planting the Fruit of the Spirit, which continues to thrive. It is awe-inspiring how you cultivated the middle layer and placed this poetic seed. I praise you for watering it with Your gracious love. Though I grow anxious, in its season, many shall behold its beauty. To my hero-husband Larry J. Bell, if you look up sometimes and catch me smiling at you, don’t be surprised. I’m just falling in love with you all over again. When I hear your voice or see your smile, I am reminded of how very blessed I am to be married to you. Even after three decades of being your queen, my noble knight, you have never failed to gallantly swoop me up.

Don’t be hating because God chose Elreece Guy to be MY mother. I treasure you, mama. It’s a beautiful thing to see the depths of your love. Thank you, for being that virtuous woman who shaped my life. Assistant Pastor, Jamaine Berry and Devin P. Duncan, I see nothing but Gods’ favor upon you. Thank you, for your kindness and willingness to lend a helping hand. To my faithful god mama, Velma Washington, you are a tremendous blessing. I am indebted to you for your priceless assistance. Carmen Payne, the words escape me for all the treasure hunting and sniggling we do in Sunday school. Thank you for being transparent and so zealously sowing into my life.

A special shout out to Elder Shirley Washington. Your worth escalates. With a sweet-smelling bouquet of appreciation, Thank you for all the long days and late nights of making sure that my missions were completed. To Rev. Myrtle Floyd, you will always be my best friend because you know too much about me. Cheers, Roy Early, for the Word you gave me back in the day, remains. You said, Stir up the gift and look, what the Lord has done, again. Pastor Mary Mackey-Brown, the devil buster and Holy Ghost trustor. Thank you for keeping me encouraged by opening your arms and your doors.

To Evangelist Yvonne King, (CB radio handle--The Chosen One.) I am beyond grateful that God ordained our paths to cross. To my nephew, Calvon Garland, just like I tell all of them, you have always been one of my favorites. Thank you for being my photographer. Thank you God for mama Faye Jolley–Webster, who allows me to use another one of my gifts that You gave me.

To Ethel Lee McCrae, my other mother, you hold a very special place in my heart. You didn’t give me life, but you gave me love. Thank you, for treating me as if I were your tenth child. To my many supporters who have been the bricks, beams and mortar in my spiritual journey. For inspiring me to be the best author that I can be. I whole-heartedly extend my love and sincere gratitude.

FORWARD

No matter where the real-life situations or locations find you, in this creative work, Cynthia strings together poetic pearls of journey-seeker emotions to encourage us along the way. She wants you to know that life’s truest and richest transitions take place on the journey when we face challenges.

Carmen Payne

In this Poetic Mixture, Cynthia loves to transport her readers to a place of love, laughter, healing and growth.

Roy Early

The amazingly gifted Cynthia Bell is back…But this time, she shifts. Her expressive rhythm of poetry will keep you turning pages.

Teresa McCrae

There is nothing but correctness in this cliché, Sometimes, strength is shown in what you let go of, not what you hold on to. Thank you, Cynthia Bell for sharing your poetic gift.

Oni Marchbanks

Poetic Mixture is a work of transparency, truth, reactions and surprise.

William Parker aka Uncle

POETIC INTRODUCTION

I did not know it then, but I know it now. In my first book, Don’t Be Too Chicken to Tell Somebody about Jesus, God appointed me to write myself out of bondage. The more I cried, reasoned, laughed and wrote the vision for my life, the freer I became.

Using my past as a measuring stick, I don’t have that same reason for why I write. Due to the mind-blowing fact that I am no longer bound, I am at liberty to love and to be loved. I write because I choose to light the way through the darkness for others. I write to find strength. To be heard. To be filled with joy and laughter. To be near those I love. I write to share the many colors of love. I write to expose the devil. I write to encourage others to write. I write because hypocrisy does not need answers; it needs to heal. I write to soothe my racing mind and sometimes, to ease my troubled mind. I write to make sense out of nonsense. I write where there is paper. I write to let my readers know that in many ways, we are not so different.

This book should have been on shelves a few years ago. To explain why it was not, I have to back up a bit. When something major happens, it is amazing how we can remember the date, time, place, what you were doing, what you were wearing and who was involved. While working on my second book, after years of writing and procrastinating, procrastinating and writing, writer’s block and all that goes along with it, I finally finished. Then, one Saturday, I lost my computer thumb drive at Goodwill. The word ‘devastated’ would not do my feelings any justice.

Let me tell you how it happened. My Pastor asked me to write a poem for an upcoming event. As I was heading to Staples to get it printed, my first mind, so to speak, told me to put the poem on a different thumb drive. I’m coming right back! I thought to myself. As I closed my screen door,