written by Crystal khlaire
Dear Torn Paper
You have been wrinkled, crushed, and torn
People blame you for every crooked line, misspelt word, and misplaced punctuation
Isn’t it unjust how they hold you accountable for their atrocious handwriting?
People discard you when they believe you hold evidence of their mistakes
Toss you into waste bins, as they celebrate a successful slam dunk to your demise.
Ohhh Torn Paper, you never opt to complain
You bask among debris as you anticipate to be recycled
You know that one day the process will make you new again
One day you’ll be a cardboard box, a stack of newspaper, (or even) papier-mâché art displayed
in a museum
One day you’ll be something they never thought you had the potential to be.
Ohh Torn Paper, you are beautiful
Something worth admiration
I commend you for exuding patience with those who do not have the patience to be patient with you
Instead of erasing minor imperfections they would rather dispose and replace you.
To them, you are just another piece of blank slate waiting to be scribbled with their deepest
darkest insecurities.
You provide comfort by allowing them to spew spills of whatever it is they feel like sharing
You give permission to be folded into pocket-size origami which is likely to be forgotten in his
back pocket
After all, you are nothing but a piece of paper
A single insignificant page among the countless books in his life
Do you ever pause to think why are you dilapidated?
Maybe you were torn out of mere boredom or was it frustration due to his own inner emotional
turmoil
Maybe you were torn because he was too weak to handle you as a whole
No wonder he often tells you, “You are too much”
Dear Torn Paper, not because you are in pieces means you are entitled to be shared
I pray that one day you gain strength. I pray you become strong enough to bind together every
piece of you that was ripped apart by the hands of destructive toddlers.
Crystal is a University student who has taken leave from the University of the West Indies to pursue her passion – Beauty Culture. She has no regret because she strongly believes that we should fulfill our purpose and what we are called to do and not give into the status quo and the accepted norm. Follow her on Instagram @crystal_khlaire_ or @elha_care_kits send her a note at crystalkhlairepoetry@gmail.com.
