The word “cleave” is used in literature with a fascinating duality that allows it to mean both “to split apart” and “to adhere closely.” On one hand, authors invoke its sense of separation or division, as seen when it is used to describe cutting or splitting physical objects in dramatic contexts—for example, a command to “cleave him to the brisket” [1] or the vivid imagery of cleaving through clouds and waves [2, 3]. On the other hand, “cleave” carries an emotional or spiritual attachment, denoting loyalty and steadfast adherence, as illustrated by phrases like “cleave unto Him” [4, 5, 6] and the deep relational commitment found in marital or divine contexts [7, 8]. This dual usage enriches its literary power, enabling writers from diverse periods—from Nietzsche’s philosophical divisions [9, 10, 11, 12] to St. Augustine’s spiritual bonding [5, 13, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20]—to evoke contrasting images of both separation and union within their narratives.