THE MAGICIAN’S DILEMMA
INSPECT THE BOX’S MARKINGS.
Along the central seam
A line extends in either direction
Light blue and gray flow gently to the left
Maroon and chestnut splash and splatter to the right
Growing thicker
Branching and weaving
Toward an icon
On each of the box’s far ends
A figure surrounded by pictographs
And symbols you don’t recognize
The left displays a winged figure
With a coterie of smaller shapes attending
A resplendent parade or celebration
An air of jubilation
The right a single solitary profile
Round and grimaced
Drooping
Stooping with gravity
To the Earth
You struggle to decipher the surrounding symbols
Your finger traces over them
They seem to glow
And in the middle
Below each of the figures
There is a blank spot
The outline of a hand
You’ve never seen your dad touch these
You’re not sure you should
And yet each calls to you
Do want to touch the the blue winged figure?