Claudia Court

Mending broken china

Lay the shards across a table
like islands in an ocean.
Arrange them, as a jigsaw,
so promontory and inlet
both find the land they knew.

Take care to line up patterns
petal by petal, to search for
missing leaves, or fragments
of the boat that glides
beneath a willow tree.

Be sparing with your glue –
these parts will form a whole,
their permanence relies
on seamless joins that marry
edge to fragile edge.

When you’re done, pick up
the slivers that remain
and find the smallest gap
where they should fit: know
you’ve put a world to rights.

Mending Broken Hearts

Gather the shattered
fragments gently in your arms.
Brush away the tears
with your lips. Soothe them.
Plait flowers into their hair.
Speak softly of hope.