A Daily Poem, 'Duality' by Sarnia de la Maré FRSA #poem #poetry #lyrics

“Duality” is a mirror-poem: a meditation on the self as both whole and divided, light and shadow. It explores the space where opposites meet, revealing the beauty and tension in existing between worlds. 

                                                                             

                                                                           DUALITY

She stared at me,

From the sharpness

of the mirror.

Eyes black,

saddened by 

a life of cruel turns.

Her edges were blurred

by the echoes of herself.

the reflection reached out

begging to be touched

to be held as a mother would.

Always there.

These eyes!

following her everywhere she went.

A shadowed face

that wasn't quite her own.

One line cuts through

the center of everything,

she mused.

A boundary where

light and darkness

merge and pull apart.

Where truth whispers

in riddles to its opposite.

Between the black

and the white,

a world unfolds

where form distorts.

but meaning deepens.

where each angle

is a doorway to another

unseen reality.

Each half of her held

a piece of the whole,

a figure drawn

to both sides

a singularity

caught in the paradox

of existing 

everywhere

and nowhere

all at once.

Two faces,

one gaze

a dance in contrast,

a secret held

in the delicate

balance of what is

what was

and what might be

© 2024 Sarnia de la Mare

🪞 Creative Analysis of Duality

Mirror as Oracle:

The poem opens in a gaze — the speaker looking at her reflection, but also into something deeper: a shadow-self, a blurred “echo of herself.” The mirror is no longer just glass, but a portal to memory, pain, and possibility.

The Boundary Line:

The turning point is that single line — “the center of everything” — a metaphor for the tension between opposites: light/dark, truth/lie, self/other. The poem takes a philosophical turn here, exploring duality as a paradox that is not meant to be resolved, only understood.

Shifting Perspective:

The middle stanza opens up the space: “between the black and the white, a world unfolds…” This is the liminal zone where meaning “deepens” — not despite distortion, but because of it.

Resolution:

The closing stanza is tender, almost accepting: the two faces are no longer at war but in a dance, holding a “secret” — the secret of coexistence. The poem doesn’t force an answer but allows the paradox to be the truth itself.

🎭 Performance & Rhythm Notes

Mood: Introspective, dreamlike, slightly eerie — but also searching and tender.

Voice: Begin with a whispery or contemplative tone — as if you’re letting the listener overhear an internal monologue.

Pacing: Slow, deliberate. Let each image settle before moving on. Slight pauses after “These eyes!” and “One line cuts through” to give weight.

Shift in Energy: The stanza about the boundary line can become a little more analytical or curious — almost like you’re explaining a discovery.

Ending: Gentle, resolved — the final lines should be soft, as though the reflection has been accepted, not feared.

Overall Vibe: A philosophical soliloquy — part confession, part meditation. Almost cinematic in its close-ups and slow pans.

Mouse Pad
£18.67
Bucket Hat
£22.44
iPhone Magsafe Tough Case
£46.29
Dad Hat
£21.80
Baseball Cap
£21.80
Active T-Shirt
£30.87
Baseball ¾ Sleeve T-Shirt
£28.30
Classic T-Shirt
From £17.39
Graphic T-Shirt
£27.86
Lightweight Hoodie
£35.91
Lightweight Sweatshirt
£33.25
Long Sleeve T-Shirt
£26.23
Premium T-Shirt
£31.63
Pullover Hoodie
£41.13
Pullover Sweatshirt
£33.71
Racerback Tank Top
£20.80
Essential T-Shirt
From £17.39
Tank Top
£21.44
Tri-blend T-Shirt
£26.91
V-Neck T-Shirt
£25.99
Zipped Hoodie
£43.91
Oversized T-Shirt
From £26.24
A-Line Dress
£60.71
Fitted Scoop T-Shirt
£24.40
Fitted T-Shirt
£22.47
Fitted V-Neck T-Shirt
£25.41
Relaxed Fit T-Shirt
£23.56
Boxy T-Shirt
£30.87
Sticker
From £1.30
Glossy Sticker
From £1.34
Holographic Sticker
From £1.90
Laptop Skin
£27.72
Laptop Sleeve
£36.95
Transparent Sticker
From £1.57
iPhone Snap Case
£24.76
iPhone Soft Case
£25.71
iPhone Tough Case
£29.83
Samsung Galaxy Snap Case
£25.93
Samsung Galaxy Soft Case
£20.01
Samsung Galaxy Tough Case
£31.18
Art Board Print
From £8.39
Art Print
From £12.26
Canvas Print
£53.44
Framed Art Print
£71.36
Photographic Print
£9.20
Postcard
From £1.20
Poster
£12.19
Acrylic Block
From £19.54
Clock
£30.09
Coasters (Set of 4)
£16.43
Throw Pillow
From £15.68
Kids Pullover Hoodie
£28.30
Baby T-Shirt
From £12.67
Kids T-Shirt
From £12.34
Long Sleeve Baby One-Piece
From £14.31
Short Sleeve Baby One-Piece
From £13.81
Toddler Pullover Hoodie
£27.80
Drawstring Bag
£29.52
All Over Print Tote Bag
From £14.59
Backpack
£52.64
Classic Mug
From £10.70
Cotton Tote Bag
From £11.98
Pin
£3.75
Scarf
From £24.05
Socks
From £13.65
Tall Mug
From £10.70
Zipper Pouch
From £8.46
Greeting Card
From £1.65
Apron
£22.88
Magnet
£8.20