Chapter Twenty-seven: Do Tell.

Tell me, is it truly over,
The ordeals of the day?
Tell me, is the night here
In harmony to stay?

Tell me why my heart beats
Fast and thus in pain
When a loss is no loss
And from that loss comes a gain

Tell me why I'm reluctant
To do what I feel I must
To give the cut direct
To lesions fouled with pus?

Tell me how I was swayed
After decisions were made
Why I think it might get better
When such a price is to be paid?

Tell me why I want to hold on
When I simply want to let go
Tell me about the contradiction
Tell me, why don't I know?

Chapter Twenty-six: A Cage of Conventions.

Twine these together,
Weave a cloth of fallacies
That I needs must use a blade
To pick apart such intricacies

Curse the rope of propriety
Binding this appendage
Plain brass gilded by conventions
Trapping such violent rage

They say there must needs be fire
Wherein be the stench of smoke
But of these allegations I tire
Be they not heart-felt

Does such a paradox
In thine eyes appear
When sight is laid
Upon this soul here?

Give me leave
To live in the best of both
To straddle sane and mad
Without such misgivings as I loathe.

Chapter Twenty-five: Pledge.

Here crash the waves
The undercurrent dark
Washes the rock at your feet
Carving its mark

Here the grim thoughts
That permeate your mind
Deep the web I fought
For you, solace I would find

Here are the tears
That seal our bonds
Crystalline dew
On eyelash fronds

Here is the time
That my mind met yours
In a dance, that swayed
Like a ballet of wars

And here is my cup
That I drink to thee
My pledge, my covenant
Far, yes, far, as far as we can see.