bivalent

This is an interactive duplex, and you will make one of two choices at the beginning of each couplet. I hope you enjoy the journey. ''bivalent'' by Low Kian Seh [[happiness]] | [[sadness]]

there are times when even mother holds her tongue; joy fills her heart but empties the mind of words [[(1)strength]] | [[(1)weakness]]

there are times when even mother holds her tongue; a sorrowful spell leaves her bereft of words [[(2)Strength]] | [[(2)Weakness]]

her heart minds that empty promises are also words; she does not nag because I do not make them [[(1)hope]] | [[(1)fear]]

her heart minds that empty promises are also words; like father, I claimed I would not let her be alone [[(2)hope]] | [[(2)fear]]

now bereft, she is left with nothing to spell sorrow; with time’s passing, she regains terms for happier things [[(3)hope]] | [[(3)fear]]

now bereft, she is left with nothing to spell sorrow; with time’s passing, silence becomes her vocabulary [[(4)hope]] | [[(4)fear]]

her nagging doubt is that I do not make it in life; I hope making a living means the same thing [[(1)good]] | [[(1)bad]]

her nagging doubt is that I do not make it in life; making a living means not quite the same thing [[(1)good]] | [[(1)bad]]

like her, I let loneliness lay claim to me; only to the part of me I sealed away [[(2)good]] | [[(2)bad]]

like her, I let loneliness lay claim to me; save for the part of me I sealed away [[(2)good]] | [[(2)bad]]

she passes time by regaining things for a term and together we make room; there is always room [[(3)good]] | [[(3)bad]]

she passes time by regaining things for a term but a house has only so much room [[(3)good]] | [[(3)bad]]

silence is also synonym for acceptance of passing but only quiets the part of her sealed away [[(4)good]] | [[(4)bad]]

silence is also synonym for acceptance of passing but does not quiet the part of her sealed away [[(4)good]] | [[(4)bad]]

living no longer holds the same meaning but definitions can always change for the better [[(1)plus]] | [[(1)minus]]

living no longer holds the same meaning and definitions can always change for the worse [[(1)plus]] | [[(1)minus]]

do not accept if seal is broken, keeping hope fresh and avoiding rot [[(2)plus]] | [[(2)minus]]

do not accept if seal is broken, keeping hurt fresh and awaiting rot [[(2)plus]] | [[(2)minus]]

I wish there is no room in life to hold in grief; only when we evict pain, we are free from the lease [[(3)plus]] | [[(3)minus]]

I wish there is no room in life to hold in grief; but we are weak landlords; pain has long-term lease [[(3)plus]] | [[(3)minus]]

a quiet parting is a way of unsealing; what comes unravelled is a voice in her head [[(4)plus]] | [[(4)minus]]

a quiet parting is a way of unsealing; what comes unravelled is her gentle voice [[(4)plus]] | [[(4)minus]]

we can define change, for better or worse; pause to stop time for only some moments [[(1)true]] | [[(1)false]]

we can define change, for better or worse; if only we can stop time to pause some moments [[(1)true]] | [[(1)false]]

when even hope hurts, wounds are kept fresh; a heart bandaged with care is facilitated to heal [[(2)true]] | [[(2)false]]

when even hope hurts, wounds are kept fresh; no bandage can facilitate healing of the heart [[(2)true]] | [[(2)false]]

there is no release if pain is the landlord, but the heart finds a way of moving out [[(3)true]] | [[(3)false]]

there is no release if pain is the landlord, and the heart has no way of moving out [[(3)true]] | [[(3)false]]

she unravels, missing the voice she no longer hears, trying to retain father’s last words within her heart [[(4)true]] | [[(4)false]]

she unravels, missing the voice she no longer hears, unable to retain father’s last words within her heart [[(4)true]] | [[(4)false]]

there is no time to stop when life hurtles on; no rest for the wicked when the mind is in peace [[false truth]]

there is no time to stop when life hurtles on; no rest for the wicked, no peace for the mind [[false truth]]

for healing, time is the better band-aid; taking rest of her years is fine if it reaches peace [[false truth]]

for healing, time is the better band-aid; will it take the rest of her years to find her peace? [[false truth]]

moving out of mourning is not the same as moving on; putting the heart to rest is the same as finding peace [[false truth]]

moving out of mourning is not the same as moving on; having a rest is not the same as having peace [[false truth]]

last words retain the undying worry of his heart but we allow them to die with the rest of him [[false truth]]

last words retain the undying worry of his heart and parts of us die with the rest of him [[false truth]]

to rest in peace is not just said for the dead; there are times when even mother holds her tongue