Cracked, crazed the jug held cool water
Disappointment to the potter
Hoped for perfection settled for useful
Convicted felon branded bad
Tough demeanor hid a good lad
Wants to prove worthy of a second chance
Dented, dinged but held at the seams
The sturdy pitcher still held dreams
Despite rough handling over many years
Black eye, broken nose marred her looks
Crushed spirit survived reading books
Appearance notwithstanding she held love
A broken handle and chipped rim
Pink painted pattern, pretty trim
Kept mother’s favorite coffee piping hot
People nearly broken apart
Still hold sweetness within their heart
Vessels cracked or perfect pour the same cream
This is a Tripadi, a Bengali poetic form written in tercets. The tercets have a syllable count of 8/8/10 with a rhyme scheme of a/a/x where x is an unrhymed line. There is no stated limit of stanzas. This poem was inspired by a chance meeting at the grocery store.
I was intently pondering my options among the broccoli crowns when a young couple came up and stood near me. They were having a very serious discussion of fresh versus frozen broccoli. Because this is Indiana where we are helpful and friendly (most of the time), I struck up a conversation. We had a very nice chat and before we parted they both thanked me for speaking to them. It seems that they have experienced some negativity due to their looks and life experiences. He was pretty heavily tattooed (not a cohesive design but pretty hodgepodge) and she had some serious scarring on her neck and arm. They told me about their rough lives. He had been in a gang as a teen and ended up in prison and now couldn’t find any job but working at a fast food place. She had survived a house fire unlike her 2 siblings and then was rejected by her mother (who was accused of setting the fire). It was as if neither of them had ever found kindness until they found each other! It made me consider that the appearance of the container doesn’t alter the sweetness of the beverage within….