Nature's Contradiction Poem by Arnie Hicks

astride the gray pavement
where there is no black and white
only a vague sense of once belonging
i walk the shadow world
nature's quiet contradiction
prelude and coda sharing the same space and time.

here there are no hiding places
only concentric circles expanding into oblivion
a delicate symmetry achieved by default
the lust for life and death pursued with equal vigor.

born to sorrow and swaddled in sin
the only control lies in letting go
to embrace the depths of one's despair
is to know the true beauty of freedom.