The Fragments of Abandonment

1

You have lived
as,
among,
listening to,
the broken.

The pain of it sharp
enough
you remember;
far enough
away
that you function
quite nicely, full
of gratitude,

far enough
away
that you know
healing is by definition,
uncomfortable

but worth
the work

2

You did not expect
to live this long,
sure your propensity
for madness
and mistakes,
and a heart and mind
more fragile
than they appear
would surrender.

And yes, there are days
a madhouse
might be preferable,
where I could stare out of windows
for hours on end
peacably and without worry
for the next meal.

And yet, here I am,
broken by the abandoning ones
to whom the illusion was enough.
Broken and healed a hundred times,
a wonderment of healing.
God’s been busy,

3

You used to believe
everything
had to be fixed.

Repairs are possible,
but perhaps less important
than you believed.
It is better to allow
every broken beauty
have its day,
accepted and loved
no matter what.
This is where healing lies

4

It is a thin thread
that holds together the cloth.

About this poem

A poem about abandonment. Healing. Hope. The small miracles of life. Gratitude. Memory. Determination. Resilence. Poetry is never about one thing.

The photograph was taken at Mass MoCA. To this day, I do not know if the exhibit was complete, or if they were putting it together or taking it apart the day I was there. Maybe that is why I took so many pictures that day.

Tom