,,Reflections is an interactive canto.
There are fifteen total passages and numerous paths through them. Choose your path and progress through the cycles as they spin through time and space.
Begin [(link-goto: (either: "RED", "PURPLE", "BLUE", "BLACK"))].
a new world lies before you
look forward and [[look back->RED02]]
explore this singular moment
in time
a new world lies before you
look forward and look back
explore this singular [[moment->BLUE02]]
in time
a new world lies before you
look forward and look back
[[explore->PURPLE03]] this singular moment
in time
slumped against the wall
pen held in a delicate grip
soured, stale tea drying my tongue
([[never->RED03]] discuss religion
with a religious man)
it's solid advice
but I find my personal philosophy
in the simultaneous
interconnectedness
and difference of all things
our [[conflicting views->RED04]]
no one more right - or more wrong
is what gives humanity it's strength
the capacity for empathy, for innovation
the enduring ability to find beauty
in all things
''heavy conversations''
weighty words slip free from my tongue
past the gates of my teeth
bouncing off my lips far too easily for the small grenades that they are
my unique perspective is a great weapon
I fear it [[leaves->RED05]] a wake of collateral damage
[[I hope->RED06]] that we, may still be friends
that I may still enjoy your taste 06 in music
that I may continue to find my home here
will I always think of too-hard questions?
questions that poke at the very foundations of people's dearest beliefs
if I crumble them, [[will they condemn me->RED07]]
I wonder?
[[I must->RED08]] live for myself
because, at the end of the day, if I lived for others
I would be dead
a sacrifice offered as penance
for a perceived failure
such is my reality
built from years of self-discovery
world maps of scars, legions of skeletons
and beneath it all, an enduring [[flame->RED09]]
the world overwhelms me
drowns me in [[a tidal wave->RED10]]
i cannot bear it
(i refuse to give in)
my contradictions seed a forest fire
fuel a flood, erupt an avalanche
the roots of [[the world tree->RED11]] bear it all
without a single quiver
the [[possibility->RED12]] that today
I might create something amazing
that's what gets me out of bed in the morning
''liquid''
I flow into the gaps left behind by others
hard enough to be unbreakable
yet I trickle through, and avoid being [[crushed->RED13]]
it's not the word itself
"insane"
but the almost incredulous disgust
that rings in the voice that speaks it
[[it hurts->RED14]].
I carry my scars sweetly, gentled
nestled against my heart
the raw open wounds ache
in time to the [[pulse->RED15]] in my veins
I was once a blank slate
absorbing the chalk dust of others desires
now I am a paper page
furiously scribbled with wet ink
a design of my own devising
{
(set: $tick to 0)
(live: 1s)[
(set: $tick to it + 1)
(if: $tick is >2)[(print: "You have reached a halt.")]
(if: $tick is >4)[(print: "Back to the beginning?")]
(click: "the beginning")[(goto: "Landing Pad")]
]
}I was once a blank slate
absorbing the chalk dust of others desires
now I am a paper page
furiously scribbled with [[wet ink->BLACK14]]
a design of my own devising
it's solid advice
but I find my personal philosophy
in the simultaneous
interconnectedness
and difference of all things
our conflicting views
no one more right - or more wrong
is what gives humanity it's strength
the capacity for empathy, for [[innovation->PURPLE011]]
the enduring ability to find beauty in all things
the [[possibility->PURPLE08]] that today
I might create something amazing
that's what gets me out of bed in the morning
such is my reality
built from years of self-discovery
world maps of scars, legions of skeletons
and beneath it all, an [[enduring->PURPLE07]] flame
I must live for myself
because, at the end of the day, if I lived for others
I would be dead
a [[sacrifice->PURPLE02]] offered as penance
for a perceived failure
slumped against the wall
pen held in a delicate grip
[[soured->PURPLE13]], stale tea drying my tongue
(never discuss religion
with a religious man)
it's not [[the word itself->PURPLE15]]
"insane"
but the almost incredulous disgust
that rings in the voice that speaks it
it hurts.
I was once a blank slate
absorbing the chalk dust of others desires
now I am a paper page
[[furiously scribbled->PURPLE06]] with wet ink
a design of my own devising
will I always think of too-hard questions?
questions that poke at the very foundations of people's dearest beliefs
if I [[crumble->PURPLE04]] them, will they condemn me
I wonder?
''heavy conversations''
weighty words slip free from my tongue
past the gates of my teeth
bouncing off my lips far too easily for the small grenades that they are
my unique perspective is a great weapon
I fear it leaves a wake of collateral [[damage->PURPLE09]]
the world overwhelms me
drowns me in a [[tidal wave->PURPLE12]]
i cannot bear it
(i refuse to give in)
''liquid''
I flow into the gaps left behind by others
hard enough to be [[unbreakable->PURPLE10]]
yet I trickle through, and avoid being crushed
my contradictions seed a forest fire
fuel a flood, erupt an avalanche
the roots of the world tree bear it all
without a single [[quiver->PURPLE14]]
I carry my scars sweetly, gentled
nestled against my heart
the raw open wounds ache
in time to the pulse in my veins
{
(set: $tick to 0)
(live: 1s)[
(set: $tick to it + 1)
(if: $tick is >2)[(print: "You have reached a halt.")]
(if: $tick is >4)[(print: "Back to the beginning?")]
(click: "the beginning")[(goto: "Landing Pad")]
]
}slumped against the wall
pen held in a delicate grip
soured, stale tea [[drying->BLUE09]] my tongue
(never discuss religion
with a religious man)
the world overwhelms me
drowns me in a tidal wave
i cannot [[bear it->BLUE04]]
(i refuse to give in)
''heavy conversations''
weighty words slip free from my tongue
past the gates of my teeth
bouncing off my lips far too easily for the small grenades that they are
my unique perspective is a great weapon
I fear it leaves a wake of collateral [[damage->BLUE07]]
[[I must->BLUE08]] live for myself
because, at the end of the day, if I lived for others
I would be dead
a sacrifice offered as penance
for a perceived failure
such is my reality
built from years of self-discovery
world maps of scars, legions of skeletons
and beneath it all, [[an enduring flame->BLUE10]]
my contradictions seed a forest fire
fuel a flood, erupt an avalanche
the roots of the world tree bear it all
without a single [[quiver->BLUE06]]
will I always think of too-hard questions?
questions that poke at the very foundations of people's dearest beliefs
if I crumble them, will they condemn me
[[I wonder?->BLUE05]]
I hope that we, may still be friends
that [[I may->BLUE03]] still enjoy your taste in music
that I may continue to find my home here
it's solid advice
but I find my personal philosophy
in the simultaneous
interconnectedness
and difference of all things
our conflicting views
no one more right - or more wrong
is what gives humanity it's strength
the capacity for [[empathy->BLUE14]], for innovation
the enduring ability to find beauty in all things
I carry my scars sweetly, gentled
nestled against my heart
the raw open wounds ache
in time to the pulse in my [[veins->BLUE12]]
''liquid''
I [[flow->BLUE11]] into the gaps left behind by others
hard enough to be unbreakable
yet I trickle through, and avoid being crushed
the [[possibility->BLUE15]] that today
I might create something amazing
that's what gets me out of bed in the morning
I was once a blank slate
absorbing the chalk dust of others desires
now I am a paper page
furiously scribbled with wet ink
a design of my own devising
{
(set: $tick to 0)
(live: 1s)[
(set: $tick to it + 1)
(if: $tick is >2)[(print: "You have reached a halt.")]
(if: $tick is >4)[(print: "Back to the beginning?")]
(click: "the beginning")[(goto: "Landing Pad")]
]
}I carry my scars sweetly, gentled
nestled against my heart
the raw open wounds [[ache->BLACK13]]
in time to the pulse in my veins
it's not the word itself
"insane"
but the almost incredulous disgust
that rings in the voice that speaks it
[[it hurts->BLACK12]].
''liquid''
I flow into the gaps left behind by others
hard enough to be unbreakable
yet I [[trickle through->BLACK11]], and avoid being crushed
the possibility that today
I might [[create->BLACK10]] something amazing
that's what gets me out of bed in the morning
my contradictions seed a forest fire
fuel a [[flood->BLACK09]], erupt an avalanche
the roots of the world tree bear it all
without a single quiver
the world overwhelms me
drowns me in a tidal wave
i cannot bear it
([[i refuse->BLACK08]] to give in)
such is my reality
built from years of self-discovery
world maps of [[scars->BLACK07]], legions of skeletons
and beneath it all, an enduring flame
I must live for myself
because, at the end of the day, if I lived for others
I would be dead
a sacrifice offered as [[penance->BLACK06]]
for a perceived failure
will I always think of too-hard questions?
questions that poke at the very foundations of people's dearest beliefs
if I crumble them, will they [[condemn me->BLACK05]]
I wonder?
I [[hope->BLACK04]] that we, may still be friends
that I may still enjoy your taste in music
that I may continue to find my home here
''heavy conversations''
weighty words slip free from my tongue
past the gates of my teeth
bouncing off my lips far too easily for the small grenades that they are
my unique [[perspective->BLACK03]] is a great weapon
I fear it leaves a wake of collateral damage
it's solid advice
but I find my personal philosophy
in the simultaneous
interconnectedness
and difference of all things
our [[conflicting views->BLACK02]]
no one more right - or more wrong
is what gives humanity it's strength
the capacity for empathy, for innovation
the enduring ability to find beauty in all things
[[slumped->BLACK01]] against the wall
pen held in a delicate grip
soured, stale tea drying my tongue
(never discuss religion
with a religious man)
a new world lies before you
look forward and look back
explore this singular moment
in time
{
(set: $tick to 0)
(live: 1s)[
(set: $tick to it + 1)
(if: $tick is >2)[(print: "You have reached a halt.")]
(if: $tick is >4)[(print: "Back to the beginning?")]
(click: "the beginning")[(goto: "Landing Pad")]
]
}