Pottery Studio

Written by Hannah Ortega

Illustrated by Laura Gonima

"I hope they don’t see what I see — a broken piece of pottery molded by my shaking hands..."

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I hope that when people see me,

they see a shining, smiling porcelain cup,

filled with love and laughter

and sugary sweetness

that I generously slosh onto the floor.

I hope they don’t see what I see —

a broken piece of pottery

molded by my shaking hands

that try so hard

but just can’t seem to get it right.

I hope they don’t see

just how fragile the clay is;

how flame doesn’t strengthen it,

but instead, burns it to blackness

that crumbles into ash.