Best Brokenness Poems
2025 Poetry Marathon Mile 14 Contest
Sponsored by: Mark Toney
Contest Judged: 9/6/2025 12:49:00 PM
( 1st Place )
Written: September 04, 2025
They said the songbird
her wings twisted and torn
should quiet herself...
that the sky held no place
for the fragile or the worn.
Yet she kept a sky tucked inside her - a
place untouched by any hand.
At daylight she let her voice rise
and though her body stayed earthbound,
her song lifted past the edge of flight.
The wind slowed to listen,
branches bent nearer
and the horizon seemed to pause,
stirred by her willfulness .
Each note unlaced an old wound,
each chorus pushed against the walls
of a world that once turned her away.
Her feathers never mended,
yet her dream grew wide enough
to shelter every broken one who followed.
From her we understood:
reaching the sky
was never about wings at all.
In My Brokenness
It is in my brokenness that I seek
Your face Lord as never before,
it is in my brokenness that I find You
as I open every door in my life to You as never before.
It is through my pain that I see my God that
You allow things to happen in my life not to hurt me,
but You allow them in my life
to bring me to my knees.
And when I call upon You and Your answer comes
and You hold me now so close,
it’s in my brokenness my Wonderful Lord
that You reveal to me Your personage and love for me the most.
Written by: Marilyn S. Jennings
February 2, 2007
In the beginning it was not so. Adam and Eve were perfect when God’s created them. Their interaction with each other reflected the perfection of the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
They, like us were created with freedom of choice and could choose whether to follow God’s plan for their lives, or go their own way. When tempted by Satan, they chose to follow his suggestion and disobey God.
That act of disobedience fractured their relationship with God and with each other, and resulted in the brokenness that we experience today.
Adam and Eve hid from God after their disobedience. This is the first evidence of Brokenness. We hide or try to hide our wrongdoing because we are Broken.
Confronted with his disobedience, Adam and Eve resorted to blame. He blamed God, she blamed the serpent. Ever wondered why we are inclined to blame others for our mistakes. It’s because we are Broken.
Many children are abandoned by one or sometimes both parents, who themselves were abandoned by one or both of their parents. The result is brokenness.
Divorce, substance abuse, prostitution, sexual promiscuity, lesbianism, homosexuality, bisexuality, low self-esteem, pleasure-seeking, lying, cheating, stealing, killing, and a myriad other dysfunctions are symptoms of humanity’s Brokenness.
Where do we find help for our Brokenness? It begins with a choice. We know from experience that to keep our cars running well we need to follow the instructions in the Owner’s Manual.
Follow the instructions and your car runs well and you get to enjoy it for a long time. Ignore the instructions and your car will finally break down and leave you stranded. The choice is yours.
After this Brokenness invaded God’s plans for a perfect life for his creatures, he devised a plan to combat our Brokenness and finally effect humanity’s healing and restoration.
Like cars, we have a Maker and he has provided us with an Owner’s Manual, called the Bible. Read it and become familiar with God’s plan for our healing and restoration.
By following his instructions, we can mitigate the effects of our Brokenness. When we ignore his instructions, we experience break down in one or many areas of life. The choice is ours. Healing and Restoration or Brokenness.
I grieve the woman that I used to be
The one who did not know duplicity
Who thought that friends would have a constancy
I grieve the other woman that was me
I grieve the woman that I used to be
The one who looked at life with childlike glee
Whose heart of love made her a devotee
I grieve the other woman that was me
I grieve the woman that I used to be
Who thought her claim to fame was poetry
Who met each morning with expectancy
I grieve the other woman that was me
I grieve the woman that I used to be
Who thought that justice meant democracy
Who spoke for women's rights with fervancy
I grieve the other woman that was me
I grieve the woman that I used to be
Who saw a rosy hued reality
Who gave romantic love supremacy
I grieve the other woman that was me
I grieve the woman that I used to be
Who spoke her truth with proud audacity
Who trusted people's common decency
I grieve the other woman that was me
I grieve the woman that I used to be
Who would not tolerate complacency
Who thought a dream deferred was lunacy
I grieve the woman that I used to be
Alas, that other woman is not free
The world has chained her, crushed her vibrancy
Her words no longer carry potency
She's almost dead, that woman that was me.
Eileen Manassian
August 28, 2025
A broken thought holds meaning
Even though its not completed
A broken dream shines, envisaging
Even though its not really alive
A broken smile brings a sweetness
Even though its not always smiling
A broken tear falls from the soul
Even though its not filled with hope
A broken heart shares a silent light,
Even though it isn’t softly glowing…
Like candlelight, with assurance, knowing
That there is nothing impossible in life…
Even the broken can pick up the pieces,
Pouring out the glue of insight and beauty,
Filling the mind with a sense of belonging,
Soothing away the doubts with sincerity,
A knowing that love will find a way to bring…
Joy and truth, pasting the feelings together
With a promise of the song who lasts forever,
The song of kindness, the song so gentle …
It brings the broken a reminder that life is filled
With brokenness, but it can be mended…
By a love who is stirred to life by the hand who
Brings the best gift, the spirit who lifts hearts
So they always believe, they always see…
The meaning beneath being broken is spoken
In the prayer that changes darkness to light,
The promise of a love that gives peace to the night,
The miracle of a Savior who never grows old,
The wonder and the joy, the peace and the hope
Forever in the soul of those who know He is alive
And, because of Him, the broken can be restored,
The heart that bleeds can fulfill every dream,
The soul that is afraid is reminded – He is brave!
And amazed by the gift of His saving grace, the beautiful
Written on the face of the heart who hears His music
And feels sure that He is the answer to every yearning,
He is the glue that promises the spirit it will never die
Because of His goodness, His blessing, His sacrifice –
He is my heart’s healing, my soul’s faith, my spirit’s thanks!
With a broken smile, a broken dream, a broken heart
I hold the key to paradise – it comes to life despite the flaw
That leaves its meaning beneath the broken smile, the broken
Know that it is in the brokenness that He finds pure gold,
The gift to those who sincerely believe – He can and will fix anything!
How Can This Be…
How can this be…
Amazing grace survives
in ruins of self-inflicted rubble -
False walls of lies –
Where brittle stars
Explode
With love,
Escaping
Tones of pale platinum
Grey guilt -
Jagged traps of swirling revenge -
Imploding
Into the first watch
Of renewing lightness;
How can this heart -
Clothed in the naked shades of shame -
Not flee into lies of fantasy;
Retribution redeemed
Before eyes waking,
Blessed in blinding colored facets
As mercy sweeps away faceless bitterness;
How can this be,,.
Found –
Confronted -
By gentle hands of creation
And called beloved child,
Daring not look up into the redeeming eyes of majesty,
But live beneath amazing wings of hair raising joy;
Disbelief overwhelmed in
Elation,
No longer chained behind
The curtain of crushing blame,
All consuming gratitude on fallen knees,
A thousand pieces of brokenness
Fit perfectly again
Like the creation designed before the abyss
Became mute –
Earthen treasure seamlessly restored
Wearing rings of benedictions
Spoken in blinding grace -
How can this be…
I see the beauty in your brokenness
The brilliance in your sad eyes
The exuberant smile tugging at your lips
The passion that escapes in your touch
The softness of your harsh words
The tenderness of your anger
I’m not afraid by your brokenness
For I am broken too
In different ways
In different places
Perhaps less obvious
But broken nevertheless
I welcome your brokenness
For I know, it makes you need me
It makes you want me to bind you together
In a strong and shielding embrace…
A restraining embrace that holds the brokenness together
Not letting even one piece fall
Not letting one piece crash
You ask me how?
How can I love a broken vessel?
I can’t believe you don’t know the answer!
Look at your reflection in my eyes
Do you see any brokenness there?
Look…you are beautiful, my love, my life
In my eyes…there, there is the truth
For I don’t see as others see
My eyes see what lies inside this broken vessel…
A heart that’s pure and devoted
A spirit that was born to soar
A soul that sanctifies
And mind that invigorates
I see…I see it all
It doesn’t matter what the world sees
I only see beauty
Because you are mine
You are MINE!
Your brokenness allures me
Come, my love
Let us fuse our broken parts together
And make each other whole!
Eileen Manassian Ghali
Broken like a cup or vase
the emotional self also can break
it's not seen broken as clearly
but feels like an emotional earthquake
So many causes brings such effect
life's traumas causes our cracks
healing seems so far away
meantime we have many lacks
From this brokenness of spirit
comes to take us down
leaving strands within our souls
weak and breathless ready to drown
We cry out for deliverance
despite what we feel inside
seeking to made newly whole
jump on Harley enjoy the ride
Speeding down around the track
emotionally raw going round the bend
wanting to see that winning flag
in one piece reaching the end
I look into such emptiness
Lay awake in such loneliness
I thought I started to heal
Started to feel
But I’m lost within these tears
So caught between my fears
So it’s just another lonely day
Another white faded to grey
Such a blinding darkness
Casts over me
Such a haunting loneliness
No one will ever see
Underneath the stars
I can see who you are
To think I could fool myself to believe
She’d ever take a second glance to see
The brokenness of me
I know I’m not the one
That everyone wants to see
I know I’m not the man
I need to be
Every mistake I’ve ever made
Haunts me every single day
I feel so weighed down
So lost within her crown
Underneath the stars
I can see who you are
To think I could fool myself to believe
She’d ever take a second glance to see
The brokenness of me
In the midst of these tears
I’ve prayed for you through the years
No matter what I do
I’ll never be worthy of you
God, I’m begging on my knees
Please make me who I need to be
I can’t do this on my own
Without grace I’m all alone
Underneath the stars
I can see who you are
To think I could fool myself to believe
She’d ever take a second glance to see
The brokenness of me
They joined their remaining pieces of limbs
and thoughts together,
and crawled in hesitance to the gate
that surpassed everything broken.
Everything around them felt as though
it had a crack or wrong replacement;
one of them had a broken watch
that was still working perfectly,
even when the sun was still in the same
position for hours - hours?
They didn't know what was hours, seconds
or minutes anymore;
they didn't know anymore what was a complete love,
trust, promise, boundaries.....
All they wanted to do was to save their souls
from being trapped in the world of brokenness,
by leaping with their arms and knees to a realm
where clocks and watches didn't need repair;
trust or promises weren't broken;
pain of brokenness wasn't felt in the mind
or body.
Leaping to a world without emotions,
time, knots or thoughts, is all they wanted to do...
Life has changed so am I
For good reasons I am moving
Accepting with open arms what life gave
No complaints ever kept in heart
But…but I do as well breathe a life
Have some expectations to strive.
Be happy and best of health ever
If ever I denied things sometime
I also breathe and wish to survive.
Lone and far taken from my roots
Family never interfered for OUR good
Don’t I deserve the same from your end
My expectations always seems wrong
Silence of me and my family nicely torned.
The truth I put forward is just a pain
No resolution as to why I go insane
Taken and broken and not to complain
Yet struggling without giving up
May be I too am wrong at places
But is it I am totally iniquitous
My peace going to pieces
Not visible … just your pain
No right to mention else you be in strain
But what about me...
Haven’t I sacrificed all without a word
Or being a girl, all my responsibility
We two cant live the way we wish
It always have to be your family.
I am broken tired of explaining
I am not a criminal or sinful species
Still fill my part with best of ways
Anyhow proceed with smile all days
Just wish for myself too to get back
Broken is not an easy feeling infact
It never gives just takes away all
No happiness sought if I cry and haul
I will try anyways to be normal
But...I am broken hope it does matters
Why I feel so hope you find it sensible
Its after all about two if us
Which will matter most till we live
Hope you realize it all before too late
And its not easy to call the self
Broken… Broken… Broken …
out of brokenness
we can become stronger in
our spiritual lives
In our humanity we are frail
so weak and vulnerable in our state
that it doesn't take much to break
these brittle bodies we so rate
There inside of us emotionally mixed
so prone to getting really broken
feelings we have of every type
raindrops fall inside really soaking
In this brokenness there is beauty
not always very easy to see
but strength is evidently renewed
when the break sets us emotionally free
This healing comes when we reach bottom
of ourselves letting all emotions go
only then can the breaks mend
allows joints to fit like so
This is a picture of real beauty
bringing strength to where once was weak
allowing the inner self to be renewed
pointing upwards to the highest peak
I am a broken man,
Life's terrain ain't fair to this man,
For serenity I yearn,
As I struggle to live and earn.
I am a broken man,
Struggles been with me to learn,
I make a lot of mistakes,
And I have lost many stakes.
I am a broken man,
I am conflicted human,
I have bottled a lot of treasure,
All in the search of worldly pleasure.
Brokenness has been my portion,
As I lose all the jubilation,
That's comes with celebration,
Culminating marriage bliss in the station.
Brokenness is my tag,
I carry it along with honour,
As in the case of a war of tug,
It has been my major misdemeanor.
I am profusely broken,
My choices are all broken,
I leave everyone else broken,
It is a case of all Brokenness.
Near me, do not come,
I am far from being handsome,
And I will make our relation troublesome,
I am broken, and I will give you some.
They say a stitch in time saves nine,
Mine has been bleeding since nine,
I am not able to keep anything feminine,
As I always carry this tag of mine.
I am wallowing from brokenness to brokenness,
I am the epitome of numbness,
When it comes to those who are heartless,
I got broken from time to timeless.
My story is now out here,
I embody everything you hear,
Because brokenness leads to fear,
And I never wanna live in fear.
Broken bits of glass gleaming
Under the sun, beaming
Glittering and golden, glass glaring
Shattered shards shining
Shimmering sunlight
Revealing a striking glare
Slivered sections, subtle imperfections
Reflecting fractals, kaleidoscope window panes
Fragmented picture frames
Broken on the ground it laid
Sun saturates it’s broken seams
Cracks and creases cascade rainbow light,
Behold beauty from brokenness, bright