I’ve been doing battle with you
all day, in my mind.
I force myself to stop
and then I notice
I’ve been at it again

I don’t want to fight this battle —
I want it to turn out to be
a non-issue, want to find
that an inner voice
has whispered to you softly,
convinced you in a way I never could

I want to pay attention
to my own battle,
where I need to stand up
against insinuations
that I could be justified
in thinking I am right and you are wrong,

since in the final resolution,
when my mind picture of you
sees you innocent,
I won’t need to fight with you at all.

©Wendy Mulhern
August 6, 2014