Porcelain Movement 6
My Hands Fall Open
It surfaces like memory—
the kind that arrives
with its hands full.
I see now
how long I’ve been carrying
the things that never belonged to me—
the hairline fractures, the trembling edge
of someone else’s breaking.
When I look inward,
I find a crack of my own—
opening not in fear
but in recognition.
And I wonder
what it would mean
to set one shattered thing down,
to let my hands fall open
and feel the weight leave me?
13 thoughts on "Porcelain Movement 6"
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Simply beautiful.
Jeremy thank tou so much for sharing your writing this month.
Wow!!!
Love the question hanging in that last stanza. Another fine part of a very fine sequence.
Im glad you said this Bill. I added a question mark. Thanks!
That last stanza really does feel very healing.
Wow…”the trembling edge/of someone else’s breaking.”
Such tender introspection!
Such a beautiful poem in this series, Jeremy. I especially like this:
“the trembling edge
of someone else’s breaking.
When I look inward,
I find a crack of my own—
opening not in fear
but in recognition.”
The amount of care for others and the time it takes to recognize the result in ourselves is right there. You help us see it well.
inviting closing image
A deep and moving poem. You blend the fragility of life with the caring for others, and along the journey caring for/healing oneself. Powerful words.
A delicately crafted, introspective piece, Jeremy.
Yes! The last stanza makes it.
Each poem is such a revelation – both yours and ours as readers!
“I see now
how long I’ve been carrying
the things that never belonged to me—” wow!
Hope that free feeling stays with you!
“I see now” !! This captures so much of the emotional processing in this series. “The hairline fractures, the trembling edge / of someone else’s breaking”- Wow. You brilliantly capture the exhaustion of carrying someone else’s pain. And, yes, I’m in agreement with Bill that this ending as a question is effective- Great poetic closure.