Both and neither
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Both and neither
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Contradictions cling to me as dewfrost
descending from night-zenith onto new grass:
two seasons old, already heading graveward
to wither from the whisper of old winter.

Recoiling, and whimpering to roots
mute below that nourish errant shoots,
empowering to wander adolescence
while hardy-hidden under frigid surface:
frigid-turned from fairytale of spring
to catch more unaware each youthful fling
in climax of naivety — ideals
more fragile than the superheated pane.

Transparent glass to shatter — rapid-iced,
and rapider-reheated by quick vice
of overestimation of life's bound.

Now all the contradictions loud resound
and gather strength in echo chamber grand.
Sad-limited capacity of soul
mistakes the fragment tiny for the whole
and clenching all the harder in soft hand
the hurtful shard of stubborn-clinging thought
grown sharp-inpen'trable by whittled edge
of sanity's departure — at the ledge
of flimsy monolith — alum'num-wrought.

Built to last in mind — in truth to bend
and buckle, though imagined straight and prim,
to weather all conditions of the wind,
humidity and coldly-chanted hymn
or hex that swears to bring the tower low —
shall I stay — or shall I humbly go?
Shall I dive or soar — O, I am loath
to choose — I think that I shall do the both.

words and images by @d-pend
created for HIVE on Oct. 30th, 2020.

Both and neither

Both and neither ________________

Both and neither ________________

Both and neither
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Both and neither
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