Kintsugi Sings: Beautiful Pain; Restore Your Joy

Pain is unpleasant; we can say

it quells our hope, tugs at our heart

we wish, we hope, oh, how we pray

for solace, change, a brand new start

crying, depressed, makes one feel old

when anguish is the picture's mold

a new perspective waits for you

repurposed joy, which you can do

of damaged art; NO, ouch, this stings

a piece of work, a lesson, too

"beautiful pain," kintsugi sings

~

Kintsugi flair asks you to weigh

repair your pain and make it art

think hand-fashioned, a pot of clay

rework the torment; play your part

solemn's suffrage; shall not be sold

a new view awaits, yes, behold

question's query, quick in the queue

fix it, a fact that lies in lieu

now is the time for pulling strings

to try something you never knew

"beautiful pain," Kintsugi sings

~

Discomfort needn't be just grey

abstracts are vital; they are smart

distorted lines, like night and day

share a feeling, some sweet, some tart

can't fix folly; make a new fold

joy scrapes the surface when it's cold

while the hurt is real, yes, it's true

it's how you shape it, or construe

master effort; rework some things

dibble dabble, time's overdue

"beautiful pain," Kintsugi sings

~

Of cracked and broken, if I may

a truthful statement, not a dart

self-sentenced pace; one cannot stay

blood pressure's boiling off the chart

rebuilding pieces with some gold

highights fractures, compels them bold

unhidden cracks give you a clue

strain is lovely; new point of view

in each struggle, a message rings

joy's blessed feeling; gazer's glue

"beautiful pain," Kintsugi sings

~

One falling mug; an outcry: HEY

fumbling the sink work; slip and slarp

reglued and painted, right away

highlighting splittings, no dispart

now fancy markings take their hold

awareness heightened: driven; goaled

joy renewed, a delicious brew

helps more than self when viewed askew

crafting complete, contrasting clings

odd lines and all rebuilt anew

"beautiful pain," Kintsugi sings

~

Pang exposed is an artful woo

accept repairs: a thought to stew

renewed joy; we shall live like kings

gold bonded splittings without rue

"beautiful pain," Kintsugi sings

~

Author's Note: For this challenge, I used the Chant Royal, a 60 line French poem dating to the 14th century.

Here are the format specifics:

• Five 11-line stanzas followed by a 5-line envoy
• 11- line stanza rhyme scheme: ababccddedE
• Final line of each stanza is a refrain
• Envoy rhyme scheme: ddedE
• Line consistency is key; usually 8 or 10 syllables

I wrote of pain, comparing it to something broken (like a mug) while incorporating the Japanese art of Kintsugi (Kintsukurio), which repairs broken pottery by fixing cracks with lacquer blended with powdered gold, silver, or platinum.

Translated to "Golden Joinery," Kintsugi focuses not on hiding the damage, but on highlighting cracks as part of the object's history.

Might we treat pain and all its many facets equally? Might we transform the "broken" feeling into art by affording pain its spot in the sun? Flawed beauty is unique and exquisite, and when embraced, it will restore joy.

Feel all the lines, even the breakings, as imperfections are perfectly fashioned. Joy awaits all who are willing to see!