An old nightlight
Bathes his room
In a hushed hue
Arms wrapped tight
Around me, he says
“If you need bad
To have good
And good
To have bad
Then neither actually exists”
So proud in this moment
Delightful heart dancing
When I add
“Moral certitude also differs
Across time and culture”
Overhead, the
Little happy star
Presides; projection
Steadfast and true
Beacon lit, like
Gondor or Batman
Its sweet grin
Dutifully appears
Every night by 9pm
Within the structure of
Bedtime rituals
Free thought and speech
Always flows
Religion beat my brow
Bridling blinders
Beside my eyes
Cinching straps
So tight, they left scars
Harrowing, rigid
Straightforward plodding
Burdened animals
Handled by harsh
Heavy hands
No one shows you
How to grab
Your own reins
How to choose
Where to go after
The road is gone
I had to learn
How to learn
Be okay with discomfort
Challenges are not
Threats, instead
Opportunities for curiosity
On the other end
Subjective relativism
Certainly not a
Recipe for success
Understanding shades
Interwoven complexities
Of morals and consequence
Guided, in part, by a
Tiny fragment of
Glowing cells
Locus Coeruleus leads
Norepinephrine production
Vital neurotransmitter for
Memory, attention
(Also sleep)
A fitting name, meaning
Deep blue place
Microscopic clusters inform
How we attend
Listen, perceive
Gathering knowledge
Observations from
The big, wide world
Bringing them all back
To this little bedroom
Awash in indigo
Here is where
Freedom is found
In our fierce connection
Love and lineage
Interwoven
Our bodies soften into
Lengthening breaths
Before consciousness fades
What I know for certain
This is the only
Path I will ever accept
Seeking wisdom
And always
Asking questions
Free to roam
Together (and apart)
About the Creator
Aspen Marie
In love with life and all of its foibles.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Keep reading
More stories from Aspen Marie and writers in Poets and other communities.
Violence Begets
"Any last words, cowboy?" "None you'd understand, sodbuster." "Funny. That's Marshall Sodbuster to you. But I meant some last nugget that would help us in the adjudication of the myriad offenses counted against you and your gang. I wasn't asking for penitence."
By Adam Diehl3 days ago in Fiction
Comments (4)
This comment has been deleted
I felt as though I was being tucked in when you mentioned that nightlight. Then the paradox blew my mind: "...then neither actually exists." Your allusion to Gondor and Batman made me feel warm and acquainted with the existential undertone of your poem. I like that you were lit up by that star; it's among your choicest symbolic reliance. I do like your personification of religion; I've also felt the same way. Oh my dear Aspen, "I had to learn how to learn..." I can feel you deeply and your pain in this line, greatly. And your extended metaphor: "the burdened animal harrowing rigid straight forward plodding." My word. You didn't allow a single feeling to slip; you held them here so we could feel them, and yes, we do. We hear and beg for this not to happen to anybody else, yet it still does.
A+B=C, C+B does not equal A.You need Good to have bad, I suppose, but you do not need bad to have good. It is not required for some to do poorly in school or at a job for it to be possible for others to succeed; it isn't required for some people to starve for others to be satisfied with a meal; it isn't required that some be abused so that others can have a contented life. This is a social lie meant to excuse the ills rather than change them.
“If you need bad To have good And good To have bad Then neither actually exists” Whoaaaa, that was so deep! Loved it+
Wonderful words as always lass