by Anushka Ghosh, 17
I look at me:
A gallery of imperfections.
I look around me:
At everyone and everything I’ve ever loved.
They’re perfect.
Perhaps their voices falter mid-sentence
Or their hands tremble before an audience,
Or they don’t like their flat nose, the gap between their eyes
Or their large forehead—
but they’re perfect;
I love them.
I look around, again—
This time, I see nature:
I see the intricate brush strokes of the universe,
Her creations of the wild jungles,
the untamed seas, the endless skies—
Are they perfect?
Do we not see the thorns on a rose,
the mud that stains the rivers?
Do we not see the brutalities of natural life?
Do we choose to ignore it or do we choose to love it either way?
The flaws of nature are what makes her perfect.
The very universe who created nature, created us.
We are nature.
Can nature be perfect?
I look around again—
At everyone and everything I’ve ever loved.
They’re perfect.
I love them.
So I look back at me:
a gallery of imperfections
An imperfect, unfinished masterpiece.
West Bengal, India
Reader’s note: This poem stood out to me because it transforms self-doubt into self-acceptance through a beautifully woven progression of introspection, love, and nature. By contrasting how we admire others despite their flaws but struggle to do the same for ourselves, the poem delivers a profound and universal message: imperfection is not a weakness, but an essential part of beauty and growth. Its final realization—that we are all “unfinished masterpieces”—leaves the reader with a sense of comfort and empowerment, making it a truly impactful piece.
Bridge Ink 