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The Jagged Edges

J with Four Options Poetry Contest: Free verse sponsor :Constance La France Date:7/31/25 “Not all pain howls, some sharpens” by poet I never asked to come out clean life carved me raw on purpose some parts were shaped in silence the rest I had to burn not all soft things were meant to last I watched them melt then vanish while I turned thorn to anthem and dressed my hurt in steel you think I cracked but I evolved I had to break open just to breathe if I could trace the shape of my breaking I might learn what it means to remain still I stand here not whole but aware jagged edges still holding what I could I walk with wounds that never fade but shine beneath the skin my scars all lines of poetry the world was too quiet to hear there’s beauty in the splintered when you stop calling it a flaw

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Gershon Wolf

Date: 8/2/2025 9:16:00 PM

Remarkable, razor-sharp rebuke to any and all conventional notions -- from one tough customer. ~ gw

Brenda Chiri
Date: 8/3/2025 11:59:00 AM

Gershon! I have missed your work so very much! Thank you my friend!;)

Crystol Woods

Date: 8/2/2025 5:52:00 PM

Beautiful! Perfect for this contest and could also double for mine... beauty in the eye of the beholder! Xo

Brenda Chiri
Date: 8/3/2025 11:59:00 AM

Thank you Chrystol my thoughts too! Thank you!

Maria Williams

Date: 8/2/2025 7:05:00 AM

Brenda, this is breathtaking. Every line feels like it was carved from truth and lit by fire. There's such strength in the way you’ve embraced the breaking and turned it into something luminous. “My scars all lines of poetry / the world was too quiet to hear” — that gave me chills. Your voice reminds us that survival is its own kind of art, and that there’s fierce beauty in what the world once called flawed...Hugs

Brenda Chiri
Date: 8/2/2025 2:09:00 PM

It is all about the journey not what that journey is called! It just hit me when I read the titles we got to choose from ;)our journey is never over till we die somtimes we have repeat it until we get it right ;) thanks Maria ! :)

John Hamilton

Date: 7/31/2025 9:03:00 AM

I have to say Brenda your writing is even better than before, hope this does well in the contest. Fyi brake-break?

Brenda Chiri
Date: 8/1/2025 3:26:00 AM

Me too! I had to go back and add four lines since it was supposed to be 20 lines! I learned from those on another app! It was great fun rappers and poets together if you can believe that! lol! I got there try to write structured poetry but they had no clue so my free verse I fear may have suffered a bit and it was always my favorite! So I truly appreciate your kind words! It does feel good to be back on the soup! It as time for to leave there so I thought what better way then on top! Lol I wrote telling them goodbye and the rappers “goated” me haha! Which in rap is very very high compliment! ;) thank again again John ! Or thanks for the spell check don’t know what I was thinking lol!

John Fleming

Date: 7/31/2025 7:20:00 AM

Real gritty stuff, Brenda Lee! Love the ending: "there’s beauty in the splintered when you stop calling it flaw". Really good write - enjoyed lots! :) john

Brenda Chiri
Date: 7/31/2025 7:39:00 AM

Well thank you John I do believe you are my biggest fan!;)

Tom Woody

Date: 7/31/2025 5:31:00 AM

Remarkable free verse with a survival theme. You might like Crystol 's piece - Sisterhood of Scars

Tom Woody
Date: 8/1/2025 4:55:00 PM

She's a gem

Brenda Chiri
Date: 8/1/2025 3:28:00 AM

Tom thx and I did find her it was a very beautiful piece! I told her you sent me lol hope you don’t mind :)

Tom Woody
Date: 7/31/2025 7:40:00 AM

Woods

Brenda Chiri
Date: 7/31/2025 7:38:00 AM

Thank you Tom! Crystol who lol! Sorry I’m just coming back from being gone !:)