Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Broken

For Poetry Jam today...
Was going to write a light verse about something broken, but that was not to be.

Broken Vessel

For many years I did not know
You were broken,
Though there were signs I did not see -
Small vague tokens.
Some days I poured and you filled up -
No drop was spilled;
But other times hot liquid flowed
And flesh was killed.
Still I went on not knowing why,
But being gloved
In case of scalding steamy spew;
Yet you were loved.
One day I felt the growing crack,
No slight fissure;
Invisible until the break
From the pressure.
With broken pieces in my hands
I’ll still hold you,
But there is nothing I can do -
I have no glue.

©Donna JT Smith, 2014, all rights reserved


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45 comments:

  1. Yes, sometimes another person's brokenness is hard. I think a person can try only so much, but after a point I think it is up to the broken person himself/herself to look for the 'glue.' I like some of the wordings in your poem: 'hot liquid flowed' and 'scalding steamy spew,' for example.

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    1. It was a good day when I realized I didn't need to supply the glue.

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  2. ...but you can remember. Delightful.

    www.keithsramblings.com

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  3. makes for a wonderful metaphor...for those we know and love...it is not always easy to see those weak spots...and the same for the vase...but hopefully it makes us look more for those places...

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    1. Yes. I see cracks more easily now. And sometimes you can help hold it while they glue.

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  4. I shared this as Poem of the Day on twitter.com/CoffeePoem

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    1. Happy to know you liked it. Thanks for sharing it!

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  5. The metaphor works so well, Donna. Many people are experts at hiding the fissures, until it is often too late. And I agree that it is very tempting to wish to provide the glue, even when we know it won't work.

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    1. Thanks, Gabriella. I'm glad you stopped by today.

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  6. Loved your words that fit beautifully together.

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  7. Really a good remembrance and reflection, Donna. Sometimes there is no glue, or we run out? Lovely.

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    1. The time comes when you realize your glue is never going to dry anyway even if you used some.

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  8. Congratulations on your book, i've been book swapping over the years with poet friends, so if youare interested please e mail me
    Enjoyed the theme of surprise in today's response to the prompt; have a nice Wednesday

    much love...

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    1. Thanks, Gillena!
      Interesting. I'll be in touch when these pumpkin scones are done....

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  9. You must by a new one immediately before caffeine withdrawals kick in! = )

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    1. Ha! Yes, I certainly did buy a new one when my mug did that to me. No glue holds that well.
      But the person I could not replace... and the glue cannot be from me.

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  10. Sad and wise here. I like the way you talked about a person as well as the cup.

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    1. Broken mugs, broken lives...neither are much fun.

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  11. Some situations cannot be repaired. You have to walk away.

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  12. Sometimes (though it can be difficult) we must stop trying to repair the broken people in our lives - not just because of the mental anguish they put us through, but also because, on some level, we realize that (because of our help) we are enabling them to remain broken and not seek healing.

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    1. You are so right! And it is so freeing when you realize that.

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  13. Sometimes the glue isn't enough as the inside needs to heal first..

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    1. Yes, there is no sense touching up the outside when the inside is crumbling.

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  14. Love conquerors all, ours is to feel the pain, love the hurt and leave the mending to the one who knows how to mend. Well done.

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  15. The metaphor works so well...glue / love sometimes works but sometimes everything is beyond repair...

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  16. Very effective metaphor. I echo the other comments about it.

    When read literally, I can't help but chuckle a little and then think of how sad I would be if my favorite coffee pot broke. I hope looking at it that way isn't an insult to your nicely written poem
    :)

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    1. No insult at all! I hoped that it could be read both ways.

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  17. aw, if only you had the glue!

    sometimes it can be hard to see those cracks! great poem.

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    1. Wish I had glue...
      that would hold true,
      but mine won't do.

      Yeah, those hairline cracks are hard to see until it's too late.

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  18. Replies
    1. Thanks! I'll be popping over to your place to visit in a minute or two!

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  19. ... I'll still hold you, but there's nothing I can do. I have no glue. How loving and acknowledging ... I find as I get older, I have come to accept the brokeness in others and have become more gentle in how I handle ... this is a nice affirmation of love and loyalty.

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    1. Time and experience does give us the perspective.

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  20. Yes we are vessels with cracked places hard to see sometimes. This is a lovely write Donna.

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  21. Beautiful, Donna. Things broken can still be beautiful because they mean so much to us...

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