Assignments: The Collection

Tension

Type: Narrative Poem

In the water

I sat, meditating

In peace, and in emptiness.

A few moments after, I wasn't in this world.

I felt like nobody,

no identity, but I had sentience.

In an odd transition between a barren land filled

with dead-gray stones, that still shine with hope,

and a forest with vividly surreal colors and sunlight

brightly shining through the trees.

In each land stood a person

that looks like me, but show clearly distinctive traits.

"I seek perfection, and success

and I will get it at any cost.", said

the boy from the deadlands.

But the boy from the scenery, a blue creek flowing

behind him, said, "I understand, but imagine

all the people you—we will hurt while on

the quest for perfection."

The wind howled.

They didn't need to say anything

for me to see their every intent

I knew all their thoughts, their views,

beliefs, values, morals. As if they were

all just one person.

Me.

As time goes by, the wastelands grew bigger, but

another biome intervened

it wasn't desolate, and it wasn't calming either.

It was exciting, but chaotic at the same time.

The definition of addiction,

being lost. I always

try and avoid that place, but

I keep ending up there when in distress

or pain.

When I blinked, everything was in flames.

Standing as giants, my alters have the look that

best describes them. They were suddenly giants,

standing over the lands that they ruled.

Peace was standing over the scenic mountains,

some trees were burned. His face full of pity and hope.

Order stood over his deserted wasteland, filled with

anger, determination and pride.

Chaos, sat on a throne of lights, feeling

like a king. A mastermind.

The borders are on fire, and no one else

can intervene and stop the fight ensuing,

this is it.

This is a conflict between identities.

a battle between me, myself and I.

This is war.

I open my eyes.