The vortex opens—
Its pull is antigravity—
There is no escape
From earth any other way.
No escape
From this demandscape—
Let the heavens take shape
As my halo hurts into horns.
This is no escape—
The vortex is voracious
As it is veracious.
© 2025 Tristan Robert Lange. All rights reserved.
First published on tristanrobertlange.com, January 22, 2026.
Tittu
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Author:
Tristan Robert Lange (
Offline) - Published: January 22nd, 2026 09:02
- Comment from author about the poem: I’m published in an anthology featuring authors from across the Poconos, PA. All proceeds benefit the Pocono Liars Club — a collective of authors and editors dedicated to supporting and mentoring local writers. Available in paperback and Kindle, please consider purchasing one and supporting a great cause. https://a.co/d/58uxM69
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 11
- Users favorite of this poem: Friendship, Teddy.15
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Comments4
Good becomes evil we see it every day and what I was taught as virtuous American history I find repulsive today. The halo becomes horns. A wonderful write Tristan with such a good metaphor. Witch burning was once deemed righteous, stoning for blasphemy, Adams and Jefferson would have been hung for treason if they had lost. And today what yesterday was a joke today is politically incorrect and people are fired for it.
Soren, your reflection on righteousness turning violent sits right at the edge of the vortex, my dear friend. That moment where virtue can’t remain what it was is where the halo begins to strain. You named that fracture clearly, and it adds another dimension to the metaphor. As for the American history we were taught becoming repulsive today…I concur. I’m right there with you. Who knew that would happen, right? Thank you so much for your deep and insightful engagement, as always. 🌀🖤🙏✨
You are most welcome Tristan it is my pleasure
Paul, I must say that it is a very powerful poem. I had to read it a couple of times because you were sending a direct message, yet it was confusing at first, but I think I got it. Not sure yet, but let me know. Have a great day, my friend. Your poem grapples with themes of gravity—both literal and metaphorical—using the concept of a vortex to symbolize forces that draw individuals in, reflecting the struggle between aspiration and obligation. The imagery of a halo turning into horns further conveys the complexity of identity, hinting at the duality of purity and corruption.
Friendship, I’m really glad you focused on gravity and the vortex. That pull between aspiration and obligation is exactly where the tension lives, and the halo-to-horns shift is meant to register that strain rather than resolve it. You named that complexity well. Indeed, yes...you go it, my friend. Thank you for your multiple reads and engagement. 🌀🖤🙏✨
Tristan, you\'re very welcome, my friend. I wasn\'t sure if I grasped it right, but I tried my best, and I thought I did. Now that you\'ve confirmed it, I feel good. It was a bit of a brain twister for me, but I wasn't gonna let it win.🤣👍😊💕Sorry for calling you Paul, Tristan
Haha! No worries! I've done that myself! I'm flexible and Paul's a cool name! 🤣 That aside, I am glad you conquered it, my friend! You were spot on, as always.
😊💕🌹
P & Co will suck us into their black holes - we can't escape. Doh! lol.
And in that black void?...the glugs...those awful, gurggly glugs! Ah-gah-gah-gah-glug-glug! 🌀🖤🙏✨
Sounds to me like you found your soul! Wonderful 💜
Dearest Teddy, thank you…that means more than you know. There’s something deeply grounding in having the soul recognized rather than explained. I really appreciate you naming it that way, my friend. 🌀🖤🙏✨
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