PORCELAIN

when i was six years old,

i dropped my mother's porcelain

on the kitchen floor

and i'll never understand

if it was on purpose.

reprimanded for the scattered pieces,

i explained to her

that with something so fragile,

its' demise is inevitable.

a tear slipped down my ceramic face  

and shattered as i dropped to bony knees

on the kitchen floor

and i'll never understand 

if it was on purpose.

she explained the value

about how easy anything can be fixed 

with glue.

so the next day,

i covered my body with adhesive.

peeling the dried remains

off tender skin for days,

with a past fear of breaking,

it doesn't matter-- 

glue can put porcelain back together.

with freedom from the inevitable,

being fragile is no longer a concern

because glue is plentiful,

and nothing is permanent.