​POETRY  -  
          With a Theme of Time 

"A broken bowl is not discarded,"  

                               Photo by Weebly                                

Kintsugi* Friendship
by Kathryn Santana Goldman

In the bottom of my file cabinet, I find
the ceramic angel you sent last year.
The tip of one wing broken off,
taped to her body. A misplaced part
hoping to survive the insult.

The celestial creature arrived intact -
one month after my birthday. 
A handwritten note attached,
embellished with hearts and OX’s.
No explanation or apology
for the pain you caused.

That is when she broke.

In Japan, they mend what breaks
with Kintsugi. A broken bowl
is not discarded.
The repair is slow, 
deliberate,
a meditation on healing.

In this last third of our lives, 
you and I are Kintsugi masters.
Skilled at cleaning every shard of its pain.
Once again we will find the pieces,
fill in the cracks with forgiveness,
find strength in the imperfections.


*Author’s Note: Kintsugi is a Japanese art form that involves repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, highlighting the cracks and imperfections rather than hiding them.

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​A native of San Francisco, Kathryn Santana Goldman’s interest in poetry began when she was working in ICU as a registered nurse. She used this practice to process the variety of stressful scenarios experienced. Over the years, she has continued to experiment with different types of writing such as short stories and plays. As an avid traveler, Kathryn has become skilled at capturing photographs about the diversity she encounters. Three years ago, she began to combine her love of photography with her writing by using the images she captures as seeds for her poems. She continues to explore new ways to use these two art forms to share her experience with family and friends.

Other works in this issue:
Poetry
​Things to Do When You Don't Want to Leave
​
Moroccan Mirage

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