Home is not just a place you reside in; it’s your sanctuary where you feel secure and authentic. It might be a mindset, a cherished location, or a person. As someone experiencing mood duality, I find my refuge in two different places, and this is what my poem explores.
This poem was inspired by the inspirarion poem by Wildwood Writer in the 4th edition of her and Kelly Trost Mirror Poems initiative. I am honored to have been included in such a magnificent project. Please check out the latest edition at this link:
The Only Witness (Mirror Poems)
*Writing is where my heart has chosen to stay. If these letters have kept you company, you’re welcome to help keep the ink flowing — one quiet coffee at a time.
The Duality
The sea knew me,
Before I learnt how to swim.
Before words put on their swimsuits,
And dove deep.
***
It identified me,
the way a shark hunts its prey,
By blood,
By the movement,
By the scared fragility in my body.
Yet I didn’t have to be afraid
of being devoured.
***
The sea didn’t ask me to fake bravery,
It didn’t require me
to hold my tears,
Or ask why I was scared of the loud waves.
It just let me be standing there,
Watching the moving water.
***
When I decided to confront my fears,
When I dared to enter its depth,
It welcomed me.
It allowed me to access its sacred depths.
When my ego swelled,
It rose its waves high to confront me,
To humble my arrogance.
***
Yet, when I was feeling weak,
It calmed down,
allowing me to float,
Carrying me like a mother tugging her child.
The same waves gently engulfed me and covered me.
***
The sea allowed my words to get naked,
Enter raw into its depth,
While simultaneously guarding their private bodies.
Even when the words escaped and disappeared,
The sea listened to my silence.
***
At dawn, I come excitedly to share my plans,
It listens attentively and offers its support.
At night, when I am vulnerable,
When I lose the hope of living,
It retraces under the command of the moon.
***
The sea never promised survival,
It warned me that I might drown.
But through it all, its waves were there,
To carry me back ashore.
The mountain was my second refuge,
Standing high and proud,
Waiting for the day my words learnt to walk.
***
They walked among its rocks, its plants,
Until they reached the peak.
Ecstasy filled their lungs,
Pride consumed them.
***
Yet the mountain didn’t brag,
On top, it was plain,
Allowing my words to lie down and rest.
The sand was their bedding,
And the sky was their blanket.
The sea and the mountain knew me,
Knew the cyclic nature of my mood.
They formed a duality that
embraced my bipolarity.
***
When I was low,
The sea was there sleeping beside me,
Offering me sympathy and understanding.
***
When I was high,
And I could run as fast as I could,
As long as I want to,
The mountain was there waiting for me,
Waiting for me to reach the top.
Allowing me to touch the clouds and pierce the sky.
*Writing is where my heart has chosen to stay. If these letters have kept you company, you’re welcome to help keep the ink flowing — one quiet coffee at a time.
I love how nothing here tries to fix you. The sea listens. The mountain waits. That kind of companionship is so beautiful 🥹🖤✨
This is so beautiful. And what I love is the complexity you have added to the metaphor of the sea. It can be safe. And dangerous.