-- The Beauty of Imperfections --

John Herlihy

True, I always strive for perfection,

But my imperfections make me me.

No one wants to feel dreaded rejection,

Whatever faults in me might they see.

There, don’t say it, I did stumble and fall,

In getting up, I have learned something.

There can be beauty in falling off a wall,

In failure be courage for hearts to sing.

People always blamed me for being quiet,

My silence seemed a weakness profound.

While all others wanted to cause a riot,

Silence is beauty, not a battleground.

Do you complain of the flaw in a pearl?

Good heavens, the oyster is ugly enough.

That blemish marring the face of my girl,

When she is in truth a diamond in the rough.

Do we fret over the king’s innocent flaw,

When his virtues clearly tip a heavy scale?

Cry foul when we a closeup of an insect saw?

Ugliness tips beauty of design on the scale.

The flaw in marble will witness its beauty,

Defects hold perfection in check as a duty.

Forget knobby knees if the face sits right,

Death in a stark winter tree a noble sight.

Does the pink rose hold any less mystery?

Is a pristine beach accused of being empty?

Our perfections can often feel stale and old;

Our imperfections a tale more truthfully told.

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(c) John Herlihy 2 May 2020