Not enough.
Whispers communicated through
streaked benchtops
piles of hastily stacked
crockery
Windows dotted with
evidence of living echo
‘clean, erase, perfect’
…
Not enough.
Resting is lazy, dwindling the
minutes as if they were a luxury
‘What did you accomplish today?’
‘Why didn’t you
go there, be that, fix him?’
Furious scrubbing
Drown the messages
in spray and wipe.
…
Not enough.
Hasty reactions, slips of the tongue
Decisions made then regretted
Missed moments, head buried
in distractions
Words that sting, hang
in the air
Desperate attempts to reclaim
swipe hopelessly through their
translucent effigy
…
Enough!
My cracks are my beauty
the flaws – my softening
Moments spent idly
invested in invisible
castles
Chaos – the evidence of
thriving
I will myself to sink
into that shimmering
reality
instead.
This post is inspired by the Five Minute Friday writing challenge. Each week I join with this talented group of writers, free writing for five minutes in accordance with a prompt. Today’s prompt is ‘enough’.
14 comments
“My cracks are my beauty…” LOVE this, Emma.
I have a large ceramic plate on a shelf behind me as I write; it was knocked over by an inquisitive child in a Pier One store, and I bought it an put it back together. Took awhile, yeah.
I would not have bought it, whole; I would not part with it, broken but vibrant in its colours and scars.
#1 at FMF this week.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2017/04/your-dying-spouse-294-famous-last-words.html
What a redemptive and beautiful story, and a wonderful reminder of what matters, Andrew!
Absolutely lovely. #14 at Kate’s.
Thanks Susan! Heading over to read yours now xx
Oh yes this: “Enough!My cracks are my beauty!” It can be so hard to see that but I can’t help but think of Gungors song “Beautiful Things.” God makes beautiful things out of dust; out of us.” We are enough because God’s love for us is enough! I’m in the 39 spot this week.
That is a powerful song, isn’t it? When shame and guilt get out of the way, what beauty is there to be witnessed…
That last line. Oh my! It is a shimmering reality that being enough is more rest and receive than get up and go.
I wish I could live more in that reality, and I think that gradually I am coming to, thanks to our chats and reorienting! Appreciate those so much more than I can hope to express xx
Emma,
I love the alliteration of idly investing in invisible castles. Your poetry is beyond beautiful and yet the raw reality of that unfair pressure is the pain of every stay-at-home mom whose house used to be kid free and mess free and quiet and peaceful and lonely and empty all at once.
Your beauty is in your love. You love the irrational howling human that cannot cope with a single disappointment and you shush and you coo and you hug and you heal and you are Jesus’ hands and feet to these precious babes.
May you realize your worth is far greater than you’ve ever imagined. I recommend reading Mary’s prayer at the end of Luke chapter one. It applies to you as well.
Love,
Tammy
(#5 this week)
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words, Tammy! The physical reality is so much easier to observe and quantify that I often forget to look beyond that… You are so right though – that our beauty is in the love expressed, the wordless actions that convey our commitment and sacrifice. I think that is so profound.
The image of chaos as thriving: I just love that. Your poem is wonderful. I appreciate it so much.
Jeannie (I’m #26 in the FMF linkup this week)
Trust me, I don’t often see it that way! It is only in my moments of written clarity that I can appreciate the chaos and disorder as something more beautiful… Guess we are all on a journey, hey?
Emma, I look forward to breathing in your beautiful words in every linkup. This poem speaks to the heart of the tension we feel. The arrangement, imagery and literary devices create a message that penetrates the soul. “I will myself to sink into that shimmering reality instead.” What a wonderful paradox.
That is such a kind thing to say, Stephanie 🙂 I’m so glad that through my messiness and brokenness, others can feel hope and we can look together towards a reality where striving and hustling are not ideals… xx