Week 5 Storytelling: Two Sides of the Same Coin

[ xviii. the moon. ]

( the sun and moon are one in the same. )

i. to the brightest sun,

you've always been the best, haven't you?
your heart always full of gold, your mind full of wonders.
there's brilliance in those eyes that no man could ever take away.

( in the darkness,
your eyes grow dim. )

when night falls, your smile follows it.
the heart of gold everyone speaks of has been long shattered;
it is only when you are alone that you allow it to continue breaking and breaking.
it's okay to be sad sometimes. with light, comes darkness.

ii. to the warmest sun,

you've always been the kindest, haven't you?
your arms open to the whole world, your hands offered to those who need it.
there's a sweet vulnerability that lies within you.

( in the darkness,
your heart grows cold and ruthless. )

when night falls, the facade disappears.
your kindness is genuine, but you tire of the constant selflessness;
your patience wears thin and the smiles become more forced.
you must take care of yourself, too. do not let others suffer, but do not let yourself suffer.

iii. to the rising sun,

you've always been the strongest, haven't you?
your chin held up high, your shoulders never low.
there's a courage in your veins that seeps throughout your body.

( in the darkness,
you crash and burn. )

when night falls, so do you.
your bones and shoulders ache from all the burdens that rest on them.
you must learn that sometimes,
it is okay to fall. you'll get back up one day.

iv. to the setting sun,

you've always been the most worthy, haven't you?
your promises never broken, your loyalties never doubted.
there's an unbreakable bond in your friendships.

( in the darkness,
you wonder when everyone will leave you. )

when night falls, the guilt seeps in.
sometimes, everything and everyone is too much.
you find yourself suffocating in the midst of it all, but you know they need you, so you stay.
you must allow yourself to breathe. 

v. to the darkest moon,

you've always been the loneliest, haven't you?
your features darkening when no one is around, your tears falling endlessly in the late hours.
there's a bitterness that lingers on the tip of your tongue.

( in the darkness,
you hide your face in shame, little moon. )

when night falls, every flaw comes out.
you've yet to learn that your weaknesses are only human; 
you've yet to realize that people find beauty in both the sun and the moon.
one day, you'll learn that people will love you regardless of your flaws and insecurities.

Sun and Moon by Michael Quinn. Source.

Author's Note: This story is based off "What Caused the Shadows on the Moon". The moon and sun were personified siblings that were beautiful and bright. However, as they grew, the moon often ventured off on his own. He eventually lost his sense of honor and duty; his adventures led him to see grotesque sights, so when he returned, he was impressed by his sister's beauty. He went to his mother and demanded to marry her; his mother denied his request and when his sister found out, she was so angry that she threw hot ash on his face. The ash left streaks on his face and made him pale, so he only showed his face at night. 

It was difficult finding inspiration from this; I ended up combining the moon and sun as one character. I didn't use their personalities from the original story, though. The sun represents the good qualities of a person, while the moon represents their hidden insecurities. I wanted to show how since the sun is always bright and out when everyone else is, a person would only show their good side. However, when the moon is out, everyone is usually sleeping, so that's when the flaws and insecurities come out. I wanted to tie into the original story by explaining that the moon was ugly in the original story, but in my story, the moon believed itself to be "ugly" and that's why it only came out at night.

Bibliography. "What Caused the Shadows on the Moon" by Mrs. K. U. Rafy.