There is a brokenness
out of which comes the unbroken,
a shatterdeness
out of which comes the unshatterable.
There is a sorrow beyond all grief
which leads to joy
and a fragility
out of whose depth emerges strength.
There is a hollow space
too vast for words
through which we pass with each loss,
out of whose darkness we are sanctioned into being.
There is a cry
deeper than any sound
whose serrated edges cut the heart
as we break open
to the place inside,
which is unbreakable and whole,
while we are learning to sing
Rashani Rea
in « The Unbroken » by Rashani Réa. © Rashani Réa
As described by the poet: « A poem I wrote in 1991, after the 5th death in my family. »
