The fingerprints of offcuts

If I take this story in my hands

It is less than perfect

The steps that get us to where we are

Are rarely beautiful

They look quirky

Different lengths

Patterns

Some will leave splinters in your hands

As a warning

Don’t do that again

Behind every masterpiece

Is a dumpster

Full of rubbish

But look closely

the fingerprints of the offcuts

Still matter

Nothing created is ever worthless

The writing all the way through

Crumpled paper

Deleted files

Flown time

Energy cast into the void

Is the unfurling of an author

And if you deny the beginnings

You miss

Sometimes

The best part of becoming

Once you know the road

You can always return

Following the route

doing it once

Teaches you how to do it

Heat creeps up my cheeks. The sigh disperses it a bit.

So many people lack the ability to fail. I have no such compunctions. I have thrown myself into the chute so many times, failure itself seems infallible now.

These are the roots that hold you. The mistakes and failures become milestones and steps – thinking you can get from A to E without B, C and D is where the real ignorance lies.

So many people fear to begin because they don’t want to look like a loser. Or they throw out or hide all the parts that were valuable. The lessons.

And sit there in sanctimony like they were born perfect

No one was born perfect – and even fewer of us will die that way

But we can die tryers – and that is a much more satisfying way to expire

11 thoughts on “The fingerprints of offcuts

  1. Every line its own story and perfection is illusory, yes. Thank you for sharing your beautiful and thought-provoking poetry and art, Kate. Appreciate you so very much!

  2. I think embracing failure is one of the best things we can do for ourselves. It helps us learn and not repeat the same mistakes over and over again.

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