sara Etgen-Baker Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

image from ancient origins.net

* YOSHA-Japanese word for pardon, mercy, forgiveness (Source: WordHippo.com)

*KINTSUGI (KINTSUKUROI) -- Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with urushi lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. The method is similar to the maki-e technique. As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. (Source: Wikipedia.com)

This poem was written for and submitted to "Foregiveness" poetry contest, Kai Michael Neumann, sponsor, September 16, 2025

 

 

YOSHA AND KINTSUGI

*YOSHA AND KINTSUGI 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
the Japanese vase, once whole, now cracked, a testament
to careless hands, a moment's rage—the shattering of our relationship.  

we stare at the shards on the floor, their sharp edges glinting,
reflecting back the anger, fear, and broken trust. 

do we clutch the fragments, nurse the wounds, 
let resentment and bitterness bloom?

do we quickly sweep away the pieces, 
pretending the argument never happened?

or do we gather, with trembling fingers,
the remnants of what was with a slow, deliberate grace?

the dust settled, and there it was~
unbidden, unwanted, perhaps—but undeniably present.

YOSHA…
...flickered in the lamplight~
an untranslatable grace, the space between exhale and release.

…a yielding, perhaps, a reluctant clemency offered
to one another, to oneself.

…not forgiveness, not yet, not quite~
but the letting go of the clenched fist, the unfurling of a tight bud. 

KINTSUGI…
…binding together the shattered pieces of our relationship,  
not with cold glue, but with lacquer of molten gold. 

…gold seeping into our imperfections, brightens the jagged edges,
transforming our brokenness into a vessel of resilience.

…not perfection, but a tribute to the enduring power 
of yosha, of mending, of becoming a masterpiece born of breakages. 

yosha, kintsugi for the soul.

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Line Gauthier September 17, 2025 at 4:37 AM Wow ~ you really mastered the meaning and wove emotion through your poem. Beautiful. Added to my FAVE's. sara Etgen-Baker September 17, 2025 at 6:27 PM color me grateful, Line, for your complimentary words and the FAVE...means a great deal to me, enjoy your autumn evening, Sara

Gershon Wolf September 16, 2025 at 7:39 PM Had never heard of these terms. Thanks for the education, Sara. And to think: When I read the title of the poem, I thought it would be a 'Batman-Robin' type piece. lol. ~ Gershon sara Etgen-Baker September 17, 2025 at 6:26 PM I appreciate you and your visit, Gershon. I was hoping the title would draw folks into reading it...thanks for letting me know...have a splendid autumn evening, Sara

Joseph P. DiMino September 16, 2025 at 5:58 PM "or do we gather, with trembling fingers, the remnants of what was with a slow, deliberate grace?" -- Very poignant. "…not perfection, but a tribute to the enduring power of yosha, of mending, of becoming a masterpiece born of breakages." -- Sort of like a real life. Lovely, profound writing. sara Etgen-Baker September 17, 2025 at 6:25 PM thank you for your indepth appreciation of my poem, Joe. Your words are meaningful and welcomed...blessings, Sara