Poem & Poem Reflection

The Flaw
Molly Peacock

The best thing about a hand-made pattern
is the flaw.
Sooner or later in a hand-loomed rug,
among the squares and flattened triangles,
a little red nub might soar above a blue field,
or a purple cross might sneak in between
the neat ocher teeth of the border.

The flaw we live by, the wrong color floss,

now wreathes among the uniform strands

and, because it does not match,

makes a red bird fly,

turning blue field into sky.

It is almost, after long silence, a word

spoken aloud, a hand saying through the flaw,

I'm alive, discovered by your eye.

***

Humans, generally speaking, are able to maintain some state of perfection for a limited amount of time; this state of perfection could be in school, if a student is receiving high grades on all the assignments they turn in. The temporary status of perfection could also be fitted to the work space, if the employee is completing all tasks to the best of their ability and being praised highly for doing so. However, this state of perfection can never last long and it is inevitable that eventually we will meet our downfall and do something to showcase our imperfections.

Molly Peacock paints the picture of imperfection as something that can transform an ordinary object, or individual, into something that is enthralling and fresh; that progressive transformation, one which was not originally in your plans, may have come to be based on a mistake you made or a flaw you possess. In the instance of the poem, this means weaving a different picture in your rug than the one you had first planned to weave, but in life, horizons broaden and thus the journey our imperfections can take us on broadens too. Mistakes made and lessons learned from these mistakes can hold colossal value in the work place, school, or even in our relationships with other people.

While some are unable to see beyond their flaws, and the repercussions their flaws will undoubtedly have on them, other people instead choose to view flaws as a window of opportunity in which to better themselves. Just like it is important to take in stride your accomplishments along with your imperfections, it is equally important to accept the idea that your shortcomings can often lead you down a path that can be much more rewarding and stimulating than the one you had originally envisioned yourself embarking upon...