Pablo Neruda's poem "Ode to Broken Things" discusses how various household objects like plates, lamps, and flower pots mysteriously broke over time. The speaker questions what caused these breakages, dismissing things like hands, wind, or the motion of the planet. The speaker reflects on how all material possessions, no matter how delicate or treasured, will eventually wear out or break down over time. The speaker proposes gathering all broken items and letting the sea reconstruct them, as the sea represents the impermanence of all things.