Upper and Lower

 

Upper and lower are relative terms

And sometimes closely linked,

Very closely connected at given times:

Closer than you imagine or think.

 

Often, they are in the same range

And not at all far apart,

For what might be lower at the end

May have been upper at the start.

 

You have heard of lower-upper:

Not quite the highest but pretty near,

And you may have heard of upper-lower

Though this one is relatively rear.

 

Upper and lower is a continuum:

From the lowest to the highest

And when one is at the lower end,

The higher point is his quest.

 

Skyscrapers are high rise buildings

But not all are the same height,

Some are higher and some are lower:

To some this may seem quite trite.

 

One house is higher than the next

But lower than the one before,

Thus, the lower house is still higher

Of this you can be sure.

 

When placed on our continuum

One house is both upper and lower,

It’s the middle house of the select three

Not the former or the prior.

 

The first house in line is the lowest

While the third house is the highest,

The second house is both upper and lower

There, I have achieved my quest.

 

Yes, upper and lower can be the same:

The same in a given case,

Just like this scenario I have given

It certainly is not out of place.

 

Moving from the lower to higher

Successive points are termed as higher,

However, when this process is reversed

Consecutive points are noted as lower.

 

Upper and lower are relative terms

But sometimes they point to the same,

If you are still in doubt about this fact

I suggest you read the poem again.

 

Stewart Russell © April 18, 2022