Neither Vice Nor Virtue

The setting sun gives way
for the vices of human spirit,
black as the night, to
thrive in the darkness,
likewise,
the exhausted sighs of a moon setting off
to rest bring rise to the virtues
of life that shimmer in the dawn.

Vices and virtues,
a chessboard colored black and white
with kings and queens and pawns
that change faces,
change color often,
exhaust me through
my own efforts to discern
exactly which color they are.

Yet here I am,
neither a creature of vice nor virtue
that feels the world in emphasized colors,
glimmering as if through the lens
of a kaleidoscope shifting colors,
from the dull blue of grief on a rainy
funeral day to the neon rainbows of bliss
in the laughter of children first discovering love.

Alas�" my emotions ravage as vibrant, glowing colors
that soar across the horizon of worlds
painted only in black and white,
‘tis no wonder why I find the setting sun
tragic as I try to adorn the world with tears
and blood, desperately begging the seconds

to speed on by and guide me to the one
destined to paint me onto a mural.

Author's Note

Photo courtesy of cjbrownie of Deviant Art.

Reviews

[Teddybearlee]

That was amazing, beautiful work, my favorite lines, as much as I enjoyed the whole thing were:
from the dull blue of grief on a rainy
funeral day to the neon rainbows of bliss
in the laughter of children first discovering love.

Something in that description just really triggered a feeling in me.

[Nusquam Esse]

Only real issue I am seeing here is that you repeat 'in' too much on your last stanza, changing up the word choice should prevent it from reading stagnant. I do really find the ending to be fascinating; the 'begging for an end' so that you can be put into the 'whole'/mural. As for the bit about chess, I often imagine our lives to be more like a game of Shougi (Japanese Chess). During your turn, instead of moving a piece, you may place a captured piece instead, anywhere on the board (well, not quite, certain pieces have special rules), and almost every piece can promote. It is very much like our interactions with others, they can unexpectedly switch sides, and they have a potential to harm that exceeds what we had expected. And unlike Chess, this makes 'the game' much more difficult to predict, and gives it much more possibilities. Great write!

[Tai Ryens]

Now that you mention it, I did quite use 'in' excessively, along with 'change' at certain points of the poem. I'll have to revise this in the future and twirl the words around a bit. Thank you for a kind review, Nusquam.

[paul sal.....]

life can be like a chessboard, with well thought out moves, or it be a stroll down the street or through the woods inhaling life and living, which is much like a painting done by you.......

[Tai Ryens]

Peaceful words spoken, I do so enjoy your comments. Thank you, Paul sal.

[Melobldnfr]

Just wow. I so relate to your last lines, I don't know what to say. And love the pic. I find myself rereading it in reverse, from the last stanza to the first. It works either way. Amazing. I've never thought of such. Makes me want to go now and read some of mine in reverse! Super solid good write Tai. Thanks for sharing.

[Tai Ryens]

That's a very perceptive aspect to notice, kind sir, I haven't realized that it could be read in reverse and would flow relatively well, with some lines sounding so fine. Thank you for your kind words.

[stars are far]

That was very well done.. it was inspiring..
good job L:)

[Tai Ryens]

Thank you!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

the darkness within us, the vices black vs the virtues white---the clash...

and it's in all of us..Kings as well as Beggars...

the speaker here claims to not have any vices yet longs to painted into the mural...and become one who finds love, life, vices...wants to be painted into reality...

i really like how the speaker would feel more real in a painting then in his colorless but safe life.

nicely penned.

jacob

[Tai Ryens]

"more real in a painting then in his colorless but safe life." Hit the nail on the head, although you were a tad bit off, yet the nail goes in the same. Thank you, Jacob erin-cilberto!

[kublakhan27]

This is a phenomenal piece Tai...my favourite of yours to date, and the one I relate to the deepest...I love connections between solar and lunar imagery, I love chess imagery, I love colours, and all are well-represented here against the backdrop of some serious soul-searching...epic :)

[Tai Ryens]

I'm flattered, Kublakhan, thank you kindly!

[Baby Ricochet]

Holy s**t Tai. I think your poet's soul has died and been reincarnated so many times it's about ten thousand years old by now. Jean Paul Sarte would be humbled by this. Outstanding work sir!

[Tai Ryens]

Ahaha, I'm flattered, Baby. I thank you tremendously for your kind words.

[Einstein Noodle]

sparks a lot of passions in me .. read through twice ... must come back again ... a heartfelt and personal poem for sure ... one anecdote if i may ... there is no clicking clock when all there is, is the "now" ;)
E.

[Tai Ryens]

Aha, thank you, Einstein.

[Einstein Noodle]

reminds me a bit of synesthesia but not quite ... read it again with much enjoyment ..
E.