Broken hearts have become clichés,

especially in poetry, leading to

bad verse, maudlin movies, and

stories students turn in for a first-

year creative writing course. But

in the long term, it’s not the

hearts that break that much

matter. Instead, it’s the lawn

mower belt that cracks in two when

you’re halfway through your yard on

a Saturday afternoon, but not just

any Saturday afternoon, as you later

relate to your relatives, but the

afternoon before the family

reunion you were supposed to

host that night. Or it’s

the toilet that overflows on

an ordinary Tuesday evening

as you prepare for bed, keeping

you up hours past your planned

bedtime the night before the

pivotal presentation to your boss.

Unlike Humpty Dumpty, hearts can

and are put back together again and

again, but your sore knee will haunt

you for the rest of your days.