Welcome, Wanderers! The last poem of the month is a little reminder that it’s not always about what meets the eye. We hope this piece puts a little glimmer into your heart today!
The teddy bear was old and frayed,
Its colour stained by years before.
Once a child’s joy, now stayed
Upon the shelf of a second-hand store.
There was no gleam within its eyes—
It must have dulled quite long ago.
Between that, and the faded dyes,
Would anyone want to buy it? No,
It seemed to be condemned to wilt
Upon the shelf within the store.
A teddy bear is a thing that’s built
For love… but it seemed, not anymore.
My gaze alit on its weary face.
It smiled back, through a half-sewn smile.
I began to wonder at its past—
How does a teddy bear lose its child?
The hand-patched holes, they told a tale
Of hurting overcome with care.
And what about the hand-stitched heart
I saw upon its chest, just there?
The teddy bear was old and frayed.
The price upon the cardboard tag
Reflected that… and so I paused.
There was space in my shopping bag.
It held only sentimental worth,
For someone other than myself.
But it was left here in this store,
And lonely on this wooden shelf.
We all will lose our shine one day.
We all can mend, with a little care.
So I saw myself in the once-loved plaything,
And I paused for thought…
And I bought a second-hand bear.
Emily Brown is a Christian author, poet, and singer/songwriter. You can find her at her Substack blog and her singer/songwriter YouTube channel (or just search for Emmi Byrd on Spotify.) Further, she likes books, chocolate, ducks, and quirky hats.
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