A La Guerre Comme A La Guerre Poem by Masha Danevasha

Out of nowhere comes the dagger
Another stab into an old scar
From an opponent who decided to take no prisoners
Who thought that tough girl can take a punch
Shake off the pain
And swallow tears spiced with pride

Maybe you should have been more humble
And held back stories of battlefield prowess
Put down your visor, lured him in
And dealt the terminal blow
Instead of giving into wishful thinking
And baring your neck
Truth can be a tricky strategy in love and war
Candor makes for poor armor

The strike was coming but you didn't parry
You must be getting old
He dropped his blade and walked away
Retaliation is in order but only cowards strike in the back
You are no warrior, alone in this scorched field

So now you will retreat into the safety of your home
Into the stifling bosom of the family
Into the chill of the matrimonial bed
There, you will heal your ravaged heart
And come to wear the new scar with cynicism and pride

In time you'll start to venture out
And prey upon the weak and desperate
Mixing their egos with dirt

Soon you'll gain the confidence
And once again embark onto the path of war
To meet a worthy conqueror face to face
With secret hope that this time it won't be a slaughter
Dreaming of a bloodless surrender
So that as a captive of his love
You shall at last
Find peace