A dynamic, poetic work that plums the soul of the reader--through song lyrics--by delving into the aspirations, heartbreaks, and commitments of both everyday and extraordinary people who strive to understand themselves and their worlds through acts of love, hope, desperation, and humor that define them and their environments . . . and drive each of them toward the better life we all hope to achieve. The title, The Black Sapphire, is derived from the personal reminiscence of the author, and is a metaphor for Anthracite coal.