Craig Cornish Poet Free verse

Wabi-Sabi

youth, where imperfections trip upon each other
and opportunistic peers joyfully celebrate the folly
 - glass tree houses be damned...

and - a spun bottle breaks blood brotherhoods
where fragile crevices expose truths and
welcome untested kinships to fill the void.

the leftover baggage - will it be burden or buoyant?

like Scrooge's chains, worked upon - idyllic dreams
         dragged into reality.

we're told to pull ourselves together -
while drowning in emotional incontinence 
like this stumbling poem, trying to balance
reason ... and sanity

then - tossed to time's tumult,
life's bitter tempering, yet - 
    gold in our veins

a vessel that can hold
all that is ladled in...

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Reason A. Poteet October 29, 2025 at 7:00 AM Well-done, Craig...Your thoughts are mirrored in my recent knitting a blanket for the coming of my 2nd great grandchild in January. I redo only major imperfections in my corner to corner, quarter inch rows of Knit1/Purl 1 repeated endlessly. It's complex, like life. Last line is a treasure. Congrats on a fine piece; winning counts too.

Susan Ashley October 18, 2025 at 9:10 AM Dear Craig, your poem beautifully captures the complimentary complexities of life with introspective, poetic finesse. Congratulations for your success in Mark's contest. warmest wishes.. ~Susan

CayCay Godwin October 17, 2025 at 11:37 AM I'm not Wabi-Sabi savvy, but I felt the poem. Congratulations on another marathon placement. Personally, I need a new pair of tennis shoes and a hot soak. Take care

Mark Toney October 16, 2025 at 10:08 AM Craig, your poem, which is based on the Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection, is beautifully written and full of quiet wisdom. The lines "tossed to time's tumult, life's bitter tempering, yet - gold in our veins ..." are why this is a Fav poem for me. Congratulations on your top 10 win on Mile 21 of my 2025 Poetry Marathon Contest. Keep your running shoes on, because Mile 22 has already started. Craig Cornish October 16, 2025 at 1:36 PM Thanks so much Mark for your thoughtful consideration...

Shadow Hamilton December 9, 2023 at 1:00 AM I think most of us hit this cross road sooner or later Craig it is unlike you to be hesitant. I will be back to read the finished poem hugs Shadow Craig Cornish December 10, 2023 at 11:01 AM Linda!! Me, no, I invented the pregnant pause many years ago! Great to see you venture "Into the fray" once again - somewhat magnetic, is it not? Hugs to you too, some from the old school still about - restless minds seldom sleep. Hugs to you as well - BTW, I have very few poems I ever consider truly done, except those (even if they're bad) with some specific emotional connection, like that old 'book pressed" flower you can never throw away...

Ink Empress December 8, 2023 at 4:41 PM Dear Craig, How profound and true is this? Some look for those vulnerable ones and destroy them whilst these individuals drowning can fall for it too. And did you mention glass treehouse! I love treehouses and what a way to describe what you wanted to, i even have a prompt on insta this month with treehouse called “ abandoned treehouse “ ah and that particular line in your poem conveys so much. Ones who are so exposed or reveal too much can be damned. I love the ending. Toxic positivity- Ink Empress December 12, 2023 at 10:20 AM Was that a poem you’ve written as a teenager? I can see you’ve always had that cadence in your poems even as a teenager wow! So lyrical for some reason as well as moving. Thank you for sharing; tomorrow ill read more of your poems. I enjoy reading them Ink Empress December 12, 2023 at 10:15 AM I was just thinking the same, what really is normal? I don’t believe there is a normal, ah you know im a bit nervous to write on wabi sabi but this did inspire me to shamelessly try without lipstick to write. Haha. Yes ofcourse its just a coincidence treehouse but got me excited seeing you use treehouse. Ah thank you for the explanation. I guess i read too deep. Btw i checked out the movie youv mentioner in the other poem comments. Wow gut wrenching. And so sad. Sigh. You are right i love poems and movies etc on such subjects, not sure why i didnt receive your response to my comment before , apologies for the late response. Sending you light always Craig Cornish December 10, 2023 at 11:43 AM BTW, I'm not on instagram (got enough life escapes already) but, and you probably know, that tree house prompt is truly an invitation to revisit youth in some ways (every way). To me, it totally means youth left behind - those forts in the woods - forgotten/ignored dolls - I wrote one when I was a young teen, "This rock was here when I was small/I used to sit on it/my own little throne/but now a shrub has grown/and I have to push it back/to see my make-believe world/funny what sophistication does" I know, unrelated but old treehouses are in trees near old stones. Craig Cornish December 10, 2023 at 11:20 AM Dearest Inky, thank you, just looking off to the west here over the Gulf of Mexico - weather front coming in - so much more exciting than boring blue skies? You're a gem here in "Soupdom", where I'm just a mosquito spoiling picnics! Love your perceptions - to truly write, it's hmm impossible to be normal (whatever that is), because we have to visit all those parallel universes around us? Yup, and "Toxic" as you allude, like that sniff of ammonia - just enough to shake from a dream - it's fun, often simple reality is so boring! Ink Empress December 8, 2023 at 4:43 PM I came across this video by a psychiatrist which says “ i am a psychiatrist but I don’t believe in positive thinking, i believe in rational thinking” and as a psychologist myself i say “ me too” lolol altho sometimes i can be a bit emotional . Anyhow this is another one of my fave poems from you for the depth and truths conveyed so poetically. Love this . Apologies for the long comment i talk too much lol but this poem resonated

Frederic Parker December 8, 2023 at 3:47 PM reason and sanity, salt and pepper, the key ingredients to a well-cooked life Craig Cornish December 10, 2023 at 11:22 AM Hi Bud - let's include a bunch of other spices too but don't give away our family recipes!