Have you ever found yourself at a loss for words when they mattered most? Perhaps you tried to explain, but the right words wouldn’t come. Or maybe it wasn’t about words at all—it was something deeper, a feeling you couldn’t quite shape or express. That disconnect leaves a frustrating gap between what you feel and what you can communicate, leaving you unsure how to close it.
This gap sits at the heart of Fragments of the Unspoken. The poem captures the fragmented process of rediscovering a voice that feels distant but not entirely gone. It explores the moments when expression feels out of reach and shows how, piece by piece, we can begin to find our way back.
Fragments of the Unspoken
By Kerry Ann Wiley
Even the horizon falters—
wavering between violet and ash,
its shape uncertain,
its edges undone.
And yet, beneath the murk,
something stirs—
a breath, faint but persistent.
Not sound, not silence,
but the space between:
a thread, twisting, fraying,
pulling itself to the surface.
Ocean blue—
it carries no answers,
only the rhythm of what is lost
returning in fragments.
A depth that does not hold,
but remembers.
Transformation in Fragments
At its core, Fragments of the Unspoken reflects on the process of losing and rediscovering aspects of oneself—be it voice, confidence, or connection.
The poem acknowledges that transformation is gradual and often fragmented. Through the imagery of shifting horizons and the rhythmic ocean, the poem shows how growth can emerge in small moments, rising from uncertainty.
Rather than presenting sudden clarity, the poem suggests that what feels lost lingers, waiting to resurface. When it does, it carries the weight of memory, the uncertainty of what was, and the strength shaped by change.
Navigating Uncertainty: The Horizon as a Symbol
The poem opens with a vivid image of a faltering horizon:
“Even the horizon falters—
wavering between violet and ash,
its shape uncertain,
its edges undone.”
The horizon, traditionally a symbol of clarity and stability, dissolves into ambiguity here. Its edges fray, wavering between colors and shapes. This imagery mirrors the disorientation experienced when something reliable—like one’s sense of self—becomes unclear.
Yet, the horizon doesn’t disappear completely. Even as it falters, it persists in a new form, suggesting that renewal is possible even in doubt. The horizon reflects uncertainty, reminding us that what feels lost can still remain, though in a different form.
Ocean Rhythms: Rediscovery in Pieces
Complementing the horizon’s symbolism, the ocean in the poem represents the process of rediscovery—fragmented, rhythmic, and deeply connected to memory:
“Ocean blue—
it carries no answers,
only the rhythm of what is lost
returning in fragments.
A depth that does not hold,
but remembers.”
The ocean provides no immediate clarity. Instead, it holds memories, mirroring the slow, rhythmic process of rediscovery. Like the tide, what is lost returns in fragments—pieces that slowly come together to form something new.
The references to ocean’s depth is particularly poignant because it doesn’t “hold,” implying impermanence, yet it “remembers,” preserving what was lost and returning it transformed. This suggests that rediscovery involves blending the past with the present, allowing what was lost to become something both familiar and new.
The portrayal is powerful because it reflects the complex nature of loss and change. The ocean’s inability to “hold” indicates that nothing is permanent, and what is lost can’t be fully kept. Yet, its “memory” shows that even without permanence, there’s a process of preservation and change. This evokes the emotional depth of rediscovery, where the past reshapes and returns, stirring feelings of nostalgia, change, and renewal.
Piecing Together the Fragments
Fragments of the Unspoken conveys that growth and rediscovery are not linear. The voice that once felt lost lingers beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to rise. When it resurfaces, it is altered—carrying echoes of silence and uncertainty, tempered by the rhythm of change.
The closing lines reflect this:
“A depth that does not hold,
but remembers.”
These words suggest that transformation isn’t about regaining what was lost in its original form. It’s about finding fragments and embracing their evolution shaped by memory and time.
Conclusion: The Rhythm of Change
Fragments of the Unspoken captures the gradual process of rediscovery. Through the imagery of shifting horizons and the rhythmic ocean, the poem illustrates that what we lose doesn’t vanish entirely. It lingers, carried by memory and shaped by experience, waiting to resurface in fragments.
It is not about reclaiming what was lost, but about accepting the fragments that resurface, shaped by time and memory. These pieces help form a new understanding—one that is both familiar and altered.
Change unfolds gradually, carrying the weight of what has passed and the potential of what lies ahead. What once seemed lost isn’t gone; it lingers, waiting to return, reshaped. Rediscovery isn’t about regaining completeness, but about embracing what resurfaces. Over time, these fragments come together, offering a clearer sense of who we are and what we have become.
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