Kintsugi Roots
Though Chipped, We Branch Out
The little misses and imperfections of life are what give it meaning--
And may drive us, even if we don't realize it.
Like the Japanese art of Kintsugi, we live through repair.
Though Chipped, we move forward.
☕✨☕
Broken mugs on the table,
Waiting for glue
From sticky fingers and fragile selves.
But some cracks stay,
Slight, hidden—
But firm.
☕✨☕
The mug’s splinters ease
Under soft skin.
I mend,
A wan smile packed with unseen tape.
Paint over it
Without tracing the lines
To their start.
☕✨☕
Molten gold shines,
Glinting, flowing
Through the cracks.
Still present—
Fused—
Patterned—
Though open.
☕✨☕
The mug sits,
Chipped, but still holds coffee.
A heart that sings,
Even if its tune
Falters.
Usable.
☕✨☕
Slighted, but grasps tea,
Its heart still hums, though off-key.
☕✨☕
Held by memories,
Souls that shape.
☕✨☕
Original Kintsugi poem by Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin.
For Vocal's Roots and Branches Challenge
About the Creator
Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin
Hi, i am an English Language teacher cum freelance writer with a taste for pets, prose and poetry. When I'm not writing my heart out, I'm playing with my three dogs, Zorra, Cloudy and Snowball.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Keep reading
More stories from Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin and writers in Poets and other communities.
Comments (4)
I have a chipped mug that I still use daily. Loved your poem!
'We live through repair' I love this concept. 'Its heart still hums though off key' This line puts a lot of things into perspective. Rewriting my brain of how down I get about certain things. Thank you. This was uplifting. The chipped mug analogy. An absolute gem. It can still hold hot coffee. What an amazing thing to reflect on. Outstanding work as always, Michelle 🤗 ❤️ 🖤 👌🏾 👏🏾
Beautifully done, Michelle! I especially love the first and the last Lines😊
Well-wrought! I love this as a metaphor! Is that which is mended still broken or is the mending itself the meaningful act the breaking was fated to encourage?