Finding Beauty in Life's Broken Places

We invited poets to explore the metaphor of "Kintsugi" (Japanese art form of repairing broken pottery), in their poetry. The essence of Kintsugi in writing is about transforming brokenness into something meaningful, highlighting the journey of healing and growth, celebrating strength and resilience emerging from facing adversity and more broadly, embodying the philosophy of embracing imperfections while finding beauty in those flaws, often used as a figurative expression for life's experiences.

"MY KINTSUGI JOURNEY"

I remember the day my world shattered like a broken vase. My relationship ended,

and I was left with shards of pain and regret. But as I began to pick up the pieces,

I realized that I had a choice: to hide the cracks or to highlight them with golden

threads of healing.

Through therapy, journaling and support from loved ones, I started to mend

my brokenness. As an attunement, I learned to attune to my emotions, to acknowledge

the pain, and to find felicity in the small joys of life. With each passing day, I felt my spirit

revivify like a plant growing new leaves after a harsh winter.

As I reflected on my journey, I realized that my scars were not something to be ashamed of,

but rather a testament to my strength. I had survived the storm, and in doing so, I had

discovered a new sense of purpose and resilience.

My kintsugi journey taught me that brokenness is not the end, but rather a new beginning.

It's a chance to rediscover ourselves, to reimagine our lives, and to create something beautiful

from the broken pieces. I now see my life as a work of art, imperfect but beautiful, with golden

threads of healing and growth woven throughout.

In sharing my story, I hope to inspire others to find the beauty in their own brokenness, to see

that with patience, love and care, we can transform our scars into something meaningful and

beautiful.

© DOMINIQUE ERECILLA ALBANO

Philippines

---

"THE PETALS FROM A BROKEN VASE"

A broken vase, this is what I was.

I was abandoned by my own father, after his decision of another marriage with another woman.

Like it wasn't already enough. I was already in pain, because of my mother's death. My biological

mother had died when I was born, together with my twin sister. I felt alone, I thought my father

would be my support. I was broken in pieces and those pieces were broken in more smaller pieces.

I felt lost, I felt like I was a complete stranger. After some time, because I was having no friends,

I started writing as a therapy about this, at first, in a journal. I then gathered all my thoughts and

transformed this story into a theater play, being able to mettle. I found the verve to express myself

in a text which could be read by some people, and not only by me. I realized that my story could

give a message to others and that this could be my mission. I felt felicity. After so many painful

tears, I finally had an emotional release of happiness. I knew that God had a special plan for me.

I discovered many people were in a state of attunement, after reading the text. It was if many felt

like petals in a broken vase, trying to keep the shattered petals from beautiful living flowers.

I tried to revivify the petals, to tell their story, because nobody deserves to be forgotten, even the

ones with bad intentions. They must not be forgotten, in order to learn lessons. Maybe we are petals,

maybe we are a broken vase, maybe we are weaker, but still stronger and stubborn. We still hold on

to our experience which needs to be told. We tend to make our voice or our pen the star of the audition. Without my suffering, maybe I wouldn't want to help people through my writing. Maybe I would have wasted my time.

All I know is that with all these scars, I am still a beautiful vase, a vessel showing beauty is not

perfection, showing scars are a distinctive beauty.

© BOGDANA GAGEANU

Romania

---

"HEALED NOT HIDDEN"

Anniversary of the breakdown memories,

of the phase when dreams shattered,

flickers like shadows across the water.

My crimson pump got fissures like

the ground cracked by the mettle

of the sweltering sun.

Trickling out like the drips from a faucet,

the ocean of eyes tends to flood the flesh to spirit.

I was reduced from passion to option,

inducing an emotional indigestion.

Feelings vomited to empty the chest

like a tree robbed by the Autumn wind.

Then one day under the attunement of

the pumpkin moon

a svelte plumule rose from the fractured soil.

Hope in the moss-green baby plant was like

a warm cwtch from my mom.

I gathered vestiges of broken self

and glued them with a half-moon smile

embracing myself as a form of Kintsugi.

© RAFIYA SAYEED

India

---

"THE TRANSFORMATION"

All my failures haunt me

Like dark predators, on a hunting

Spree - -

Before the wounds heal,

Flies gather in hordes

On the exposed flesh.

Healing takes time, and the scars

Tend to fester long, reminding you

Of the pain, endured silently.

Time stitches the wounds

With golden threads

And diamond dust.

Green shoots sprout with felicity,

Around the stump of the fallen

Tree, revivifying the vacant space.

The angst gives way to

Hope and resurgence,

With age and maturity.

Time has wrought its insignia

On the brow, deepening the creases,

And forming a mosaic of the scars.

I'm not ashamed of

The scars, imperfections,

And my many weaknesses.

The rough edges softened, like a diamond,

I'm at peace with myself, without regret

And malice towards none - -

© KALUCHARAN SAHU

India

---

"MENDING MY HEART"

My heart used to be a plain organ

Stained in blood red monochrome

Until it was toppled by someone

Tumbled and broken like a dome

Caging me in a realm of gloom.

Time helped me pick up the pieces

But all the scars it did not erase

To counteract the ugliness

I found a way to revivify

Make it more pleasing to the eye.

Innate mettle made me thread a needle

Into each scar I stitched vibrant colors

Yellow for hope, green for commencement

Red for passion, purple for new dreams

For felicity and verve, orange.

Creatively I used indigo

For attunement, opted for blue

Unconsciously I stitched a rainbow

Created a work of art all through

A bright tapestry vibrant and new.

The mended state of my heart today

Its reflection in my eyes shines vividly

In my joyous smiles easily display

Broken pieces mended in artful beauty

In the true spirit of kintsugi!

© MYRTLE REYES EVE TEJADA

Philippines

---

"FINDING EMILY"

We were just kids, bubbly, bouncy and exuberant

Roaming within the wide backyard and verdant meadows

Our imaginative world, in attunement to our kiddish mettle

Unwary of life's intricacies and uncanny episodes.

We were just kids, everyday is a celebration

Of juvenile adventures, of fun and laughter

How we frolicked under the unforgiving sun

Unmindful of the perils, to vivify the moments we had.

But life has a cryptic way of doing a turn-around

Emily's family suddenly migrated to a foreign land

My whole world crumbled like a castle in the sand

I was left in tears, broken, like a vase out of hand.

Misery and grief enveloped my whole being

Lost and alone, sadness kept me crying

Decades have passed, Emily's still in my mind

But this time with a firm resolve to elude the sands of time.

Despair and brokenness, I drove them out of my mind

My shattered dreams, I picked up the pieces one by one

The memories of a precious friend, won't break me in fragments

With a defiant resolve, I will treasure every moment.

These thoughts have inspired me to keep moving on

Emily has pushed me to achieve my lofty ambition

Time will come, our paths might cross again

This time it's true love, to transform our childish games.

© GUS PEREZ AMIO

Philippines

---

"QUEENSUEGIE'S ACT IS KINTSUGI"

When argument like wildfire

Tend to happen from time to time

As couples are always in ire

Their relationship, not sublime.

It was Summer, warm atmospheres

Strong love bond fades into the air

Bright day, but dark to wife with tears

For husband end their love affair.

Separation, a broken bridge

Case occurred to wife Queensuegie

Bad day for kids she acknowledged

Traumatic to kids surely.

It caused a heartache for her, too

She, to be brave at that moment

Her boldness in life to ensue

For her four children, betterment.

For sometimes with a broken heart

It stirs courage and resilience

Letting he heartache to depart

May lead to be in ebullience.

With courage, as silent power

A must her mettle to apply

With her vim and verve in measure

So, their life to revivify.

Thus, she set up a small business

With some amount of money

And through over years with progress

Leads a nice life for her family.

With help, attunement to close friends

And good natured-spirits

Her firm, in money-making trends

In that wise, earned hefty profits.

All four children finished schooling

All with bachelor's degree

A sense of good life, with the zing

Fruit of venture by Queensuegie.

Because of her strong resilience

No Dad figure for her children

Their status gone to brilliance

Splintered staate mended to golden

Queensuegie's act is Kintsugi

Even if her heart was broken

She's fearless with tenacity

Felicity to kids, given.

© ENCY BEARIS

U.S.

---

Have you ever felt the world go against you, when everything you planned, failed dreams, marriage and finances, everything seems crumbling one after the other? That's how I was, 25 years ago. I gave up a very promising job abroad and married the man who promised me the world. For years, we were happy and content, but things suddenly turned 360 degrees. It happened when one time, he visited his family in the south and out of nowhere, he blurted out that we were done. I was gasping for words to ask but he turned his back and left, and I never heard from him again. I felt the world crushed in an instant. I was devastated, broken and dead to the core. I was left with no money, no job, and 2 children, then at the time, 2 years old and a 3 month old baby. I had no one to turn to, his family was tongue-tied and didn't care at all. I was so scared and confused. I lost my will to live and as the days flew by, my life tended to go to the deepest abyss of hopelessness and resentments. I even doubted the presence of God. Just as I was about to be engulfed, a certain force jolted me and I finally came to my senses. I cried and asked God's forgiveness and invoked the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom to understand that I may accept the things I cannot change, to have courage to forgive those who wronged me and move on in life without burden and grudges.

It is through spiritual attunement that I was able to do what I prayed for. Little by little, I was able to compose myself and started my life for my two children. I worked hard to raise them well. I am so proud of what they've become, well-rounded young adults now and the felicity of watching them grow realizing their own dreams is beyond words.

During the darkest times in my life, when I thought God is nowhere, I was wrong. He's with me, revivifying me, reshaping, rebuilding and recreating a new me. He armed me with mettle to face challenges without fear. As I journeyed through life, I picked up the remnants of yesteryears good and bad, light and dark hues, and successfully put them back in place. It's not the same as before, because it is far more beautiful now. The cracked are gilded with joy, hope and love that shines the most!

©BANJIE ROMULO

Philippines

---

"BLIND ONE AND AN ORPHAN"

As the rain fades into memory

As stories unfold within each drop

Moon flower petals wipe away my years

In every hush of silence, your presence

breathes in stillness.

There is felicity, my heart sweet dove

Wind and dust tend to carry your perfume

Amidst this path where night grows

It's in the gentle breezes, her mettle flows.

While trying to hide the sparrow's song

in the monsoon embrace

An orphan it seems, that I cannot claim

Your dreams nourish my heart in a frenzy smile

While you wander alone, my soul stays apart.

In my thoughts you are the only one

Whose presence fills my day with sun,

Love touched me when my eyes couldn't see

And in that meagering silence, you are home to me.

"Kintsugi is about fixing broken pieces, making them more beautiful.

In my opinion, there is a 'Kintsugi' in all of us, especially in my poem."

© SHEILA ANN PACKIRNATHAN

Malaysia

---

"NOTHING IS LOST"

Past is past, bury the evil past

Let me never ever forget love and affection at any cost

Mettles of my lost parents made me stand on my leg

Following their verves left in sand of time to break a leg

A shining, dazzling mirror reflects all in eyes

Cracked mirror never stops reflection but reflects the skies

Cracked mirror gives felicity sans hiding anything

No crack or cleft can hoard or hide vivid truth inside reflecting

An attractive and artful pottery looks beautiful

When broken, it doesn't lose its beauty being awful

With gold repair, it revivifies its song with pride

In brokenness, we can't ide anything on one side

Nothing is useless in the creation of the Creator

Let's tend properly and hartily feeling decorator

Let's lift the piece you imagine may be lost

Remember its value and shine, not the cost.

© PRASANNA BHATTA

India