The Broken Cradle

Unknown how long

the potsherd had lain there

half buried in the earth            

A fragment of pottery  

I used to treasure

which once held a miniature pine

in an elegant embrace

For decades 

the pot was its cradle 

nourishing its growth

complementing its beauty 

One day the clay broke

the tree found a new home

now abandoned in the grass

the shard sparks with sunlight—

a flash protesting my neglect

By Shih-Fang Wang

From: United States