sara Etgen-Baker Poet Free verse

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FRAGILE VESSEL Broken But Bold Enough to Bounce Back Contest

FRAGILE VESSEL
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Poem written for and submitted to “Broken But Bold Enough to Bounce Back” Poetry Contest, Anoucheka Gangabissoon, sponsor, August 11, 2025.

They gathered like shadows,
the character assassins~
their whispers their weapons, 
their glances a silent judgment,
truth twisted to fit their narrative,
a caricature of my spirit
painted in the hues of malice.  

I, a fragile vessel,
trembled beneath the weighty ocean of their scorn,
wearing their lies like a shroud,
a heavy fabric, 
woven from the weak threads
of fear and intimidation, 
a shawl of self-doubt draped over my shoulders.

I stood, alone,
a silhouette against an invisible storm,
fragments of my name,
scattered like decayed, autumn leaves,
their slanderous stories
veiled in the cloak
of honor and integrity.

In the distance, 
a Lighthouse flickered
a small ember glowing~
the stubborn light of His truth, my truth.
I gathered the shards of who I was,
reconstructing the mosaic of my spirit,
one bold piece of rubble at a time.

I took the jagged shards of my identity,
carving a path through the rubble,
not with anger,
but with the quiet strength of a heart
that refused to stop beating, 
a spirit that refused 
to be broken or silenced.  

No longer a fragile vessel, 
I walk through the world with a fierce grace
not unscathed, but
wearing my scars like armor
each one a testament, a story of resilience~
each chapter a silent statement 
of soulful courage.  

In the stillness, I reflect—
not on the wounds that once broke me,
but on the God-given strength that emerged,
bold and unyielding,
a testament to His power,
the Power lies in the heart of the broken.

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Malabika Ray Choudhury November 28, 2025 at 7:09 PM Dear Sara, Congratulations on your First Place win. Your poem definitely deserves the honour. Every line is powerful and written with great meaning…I especially love these two lines which strongly resonated with me: “not on the wounds that once broke me, but on the God-given strength that emerged” Love and best wishes ~ Mala

Valsa George August 15, 2025 at 7:32 PM Dear Sara, what a powerful portrayal of the badge of calumny you had to wear because of others' lies and cruel machinations. Baseless slanders often push us to the ditch. But like a powerful warrior, you fought, not with weapons of annihilation, but with tools of self building. Now you stand proud wearing your scars as a shield. Great poetry, dear.