[NYCSPITZ]

Vulgar: Your wording and command of language was on display as usual. I thought it was a cool way to build intrigue, intimating that mahmoud is probably balling but also preceding it by mentioning that he's a hapless hand of the mob. At first i didn't like it but I found a way to make the wording work. I thought a lot of the details seemed to be injected randomly, and didn't add to the story i.e. wind turbine, his retreat to france. Is it a mob that launders money through a wind energy company or something? Kind of vague imo, and unless he lives in France it's hard to believe he just flies into Paris sometimes to chill, maybe you meant that he lived there though, it's unclear. other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this piece, some parts were masterfully worded such as:

Offshore banks safeguarded the most regal of karats
but at the end of the journey,
it's all worthless if the Ocean of Self between it is barren.

very very dope weaving of imagery and metaphor here. I thought it was a good way to end, just vague and profound enough to bring up plenty of questions and cause the reader to think on the topic. What I personally took from this is the archetypal pattern of male creative energy, he'd rather walk on his own two feet than get a ride just like he used his creative energy and masculine bursts to create his luxurious lifestyle. You interweave this with the idea that maybe it wasn't all worth it after all while painting your character with a resigned attitude of acceptance. I thought it created a pretty cool an unique character. I will note that I think the economy of language here was great, lots less filler than some of your other works. All in all, good but not your best.

Split Eight: The man who has elevated most topically in recent memory, it's great to see the progress. I've seen a lot of topical pieces throwing around fauna and flora around for some reason lately, I think cake and black just dropped OMs with those words so maybe they influenced you a little here. Loved the laconic style and feel it was dope. Don't know how you can be ostensibly silent in a library, unless you're referring to his inner turmoil (which u prob r 99%) because you paint the picture of a quiet, methodical, focused wonder student who eventually comes to terms with the meaninglessness of life. Dunno ostensibly didn't really work for me there and kinda threw me off a bit. The rest, however, produced a clear characterization and you ended beautifully. The great achievement here is that you produce a man who is on the side of science but the sketch is profoundly spiritual. He's either atheist or taking a more Star Wars view of the force - there's a god but free will allows you to make anything of your life, there's no clear morality to existence except what u make of it. I don't know I've read both 2x already, not sure. I'm with oats it's close. Both are convincing character sketches with complex undertones interlaced with the major theme. I've switched between both several times in my mind, but I'm a man and I must come to a definitive conclusion. Going with my gut here and giving vulgar the slight edge. Thanks for the battle guys, really the toughest vote I've made in recent memory to be real.