You can trace the scars and stretch marks
where they have marked time and marred the flesh.
Each wound reveals a history of love,
pain and refusals to die.
We should not cover them, instead,
accept they are part of who we are.
Nor should we celebrate, for most merely
hide the deeper ones within.
Grow from the pain, for many
must be broken before they are made whole.
https://dversepoets.com/ prompts for a poem based on ‘one true sentence’ of Hemingway’s. I chose
“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.”
–A Farewell to Arms (1929)
And sense a ‘sentence’ was the subject, each stanza is written in the form of an American Sentence of Allen Ginsburg.
Awakened Words 
We shouldn’t cover them, nor celebrate. Yes, I think you got that right! Beautifully written, your words cut straight to the chase.
Mark, you are going to touch many who read this beautifully composed poem …. including me.
This made me so emotional:
“Grow from the pain, for many
must be broken before they are made whole.”
This also made me feel better about one of my scars. It’s quite noticeable, but instead of feeling ashamed, I should begin to accept it as part of myself. It might fade away, but it also might not. Amazing words here, it really resonated with me right now. ❤
I think most of us do grow from the pain, but there are those we need to help, by themselves they are broken.
I like the format you chose for your poem. There is an organic wholeness to it. It has no loose ends, and there is a feeling of comfort and satisfaction in the reading of it. Thank you for participating in the challenge, Mark.
I have a visible scar and this part touched me:
Grow from the pain, for many
must be broken before they are made whole.
Beautiful poem ❤ I quite agree! I love these lines especially:
Each wound reveals a history of love,
pain and refusals to die.
This is exquisitely drawn! I especially resonate with; “Each wound reveals a history of love, pain and refusals to die.”💝💝