that which you seek to perfect
fussing and worrying over
will come to ruin
too much force
and the thing will break
too much care
and you will wear it thin
and all you’re left with are the little pieces
useless debris, detritus

so if you wish for things to turn out well
abandon artifice
let go of regret
the thing you care about
if it truly is worth caring about
is no mere tool
but an entity unto itself
it too has a soul
and souls are most perfect
when they are tranquil and still

and in stillness, what must happen will happen
the wave shall lift you up, then drop you down
and even still, you will find yourself
moving to where you need to be