The Gemini and the Twin

GEMINI

Those born in the range between May 21st to June 20th are born under the astrological sign of Gemini, also known as the Twins.  Common characteristics include a powerful intellect, natural creativity (or drawn to the arts) and sharp wit.  

During their early years, the Gemini can have flighty notions, which may include a lot of day-dreaming and can be subject to addiction at an early age, because they are easily influenced. These traits can be detrimental to this sign as they constantly strive to be  "people-pleasers", which means it is often difficult to strike a balance within themselves as they struggle for social acceptance. They may also battle internally, against right and wrong; or, good and evil.  Bad decisions weigh heavily on the mind and conscience of Geminis.

As the Twin matures, or advances through the school of hard-knocks, Geminis become absolutely fierce in their loyalties, and their naturally high-tuned brains help them to advance personally and professionally; yet, they may suffer internally as depression, anxiety and worry may be constant factors in their daily lives.  The twin's mind is sharp and operates very quickly.  Ideas continually flood their minds which they like to express to others, while some may write out their feelings and thoughts.  The Gemini's heart is always in the right place, but their nervous energy can make others uncomfortable.  She/he may sense this and feel tortured as the result, as they are commonly natural empaths.  These dualistic traits makes them frequently known as the most misunderstood sign.

A few notable Geminis:  Marilyn Monroe, Johnny Depp, Prince, Hedda Hopper, Patty Lebelle, Bob Dylan, and Queen Victoria 

TWINS

Twins are two beings that are produced by the same pregnancy.  The births can be "monozygotic", which means identical; or, "dizygotic", meaning fraternal or that they developed from two different eggs. In regard to the fraternal twins, each twin is fertilized by its own sperm cell.  Due to the rarity of these births, twins are still, in someways considered a human oddity.  Here are some examples of more unusual or notorious twins.

Most recently, if you are a fan of American Horror Story, you may have tuned into the subtitled series "Freaks", in which Bette and Dot Tattler are conjoined, yet have conflicting personalities and motives.  They demonstrate that two heads aren't necessarily better than one. 

Pip and Zip (Elvira and Jenny Lee Snow) Sisters from Hartwell, Georgia, were born with "microcephaly" a disorder that caused the circumference of their heads to be abnormally small.  Their parents lent them various traveling shows, and they were billed as Twins from the Yucatan, and gave rise to the term "Pinhead".  They toured around the world with the World Circus Sideshow for a few decades.  They are most noted for their work in a 1932 movie, entitled "Freaks", by Tod Browning.   It is interesting to note that Jenny Lee was 12 years younger, and determined to have the intelligence of a 18 month old child. Elvira's IQ was equivalent to a five year old child.

In the still popular and classic horror movie, "The Shining", actresses Lisa and Louise Burns played the ghosts of the murdered Grady daughters, portrayed as identical twins; however, the characters in the book, written by Steven King, are sisters, not twins. 

"The "lovely" Primwaddle Twins, Mort and Harvey, pictured here, circa 1929. Their mother, whose name was Discordia gave birth and her husband left after seeing the homely pair. Embittered to men, left alone to raise boys, she insisted they were girls, and got away with it home-schooling them for 17 years; until Mort learned otherwise. The teenagers murdered her in her sleep, strangled in chiffon, her eyes gouged out and replaced with doll eyes." - Source: psychological warfare - Pinterest

                                   

 

Swedes, Ursula and Sabina Eriksson, who were born in 1967 are identical twin sisters who came under the spotlight in England during the month of May in 2008 for suffering from an episode of "shared psychosis" (folie à deux) in which they had been traveling through Ireland to England on a bus-coach, which ultimately led to murder.   The psychosis is a rare psychiatric disorder in which delusional beliefs are transmitted from one individual to another.  Read about their strange behavior here.

Chang and Eng Bunker were conjoined twins born on May 11, 1811, also known as "Siamese Twins" which occurs when either of the identical twins are born with some part of their bodies connected with reflects the incomplete division of the producing ovum. The Bunkers’ bodies were joined at the sternum and at the breast bone.  They moved to America, and each married and had many children.  When Chang died from complications arising from bronchitis (and possibly alcoholism), Eng died just three hours later. 

Also conjoined, The Hilton Sisters - Daisy and Violet, also toured the Sideshow circuit in the 1920's.

Luke and Leia - Something this epic, defies explanation

Each photo, below, leaves me feeling somewhat haunted and I can't help but wonder what their every day lives were like.  (All images are from Pinterest.)

I, Gemini

Born on a crimson cloud
in divided spaces, 
extracted from an ebony womb;  
the androgynous spirit with two faces.
Turquoise eyes, so foolish and so wise.

From restlessness grows serenity,
Duality is my reality;
I am nothing, yet everything. 
From cocoon to caterpillar, 
exploding butterfly, I rise;
For, I am Gemini.

Twice bitten;
The Huntress and the Prey,
I am the dyadic Sisters 
born in merry month of May.

Sitting in sunshine and in shadow,
'twix and 'twain,
You may find me in the celestial skies
or in the flames below...
But only I shall know.

I am the ambivalent Janus,
Holding all doorway keys;
one to war, and one to peace.

 I, Gemini.
The virgin and the whore;
One of chastity, 
and one of more.
The malignant benign.

And, in the deafening silence,
I sit alone together
In  jovial tranquility with my friends, 
cruel kindness and sweet agony;
Dropping balloons made of lead
among the living dead.

©Denise Goodwin, All Rights Reserved