Up

The man with the gargoyle face
Sits under the streetlight
...waiting
The light splashes over him
Like a cheap cologne
Harsh on his sharp features.

The man with the sandals
Clips along in the darkness
...hurrying
The blackness washes over him
Like a boiling tar
Scalding his delicate skin.

The light and dark collide
Spiraling together
Into yin and yang.
A pair of words form a simultaneous question
Fear and hope in equal measure
"Going up?"