There are no bells
no announcers
or judges.
No one watches
intentionally
as we continue
our war of attrition.

We are pain-staking
and -stricken.
We keep our distance
emotionally
physically
even electronically.

We pace
racing to opposing corners.
We chase phantom pains
and historic hurts
We fight through nights
each hoping the other
will go down
that final time.

Neither will admit defeat
before the other
though we each desperately wish
for hostilities to cease.

We seek peace.
We seek a break.
More, though
we each seek
to break pieces off the other.

It is important
that we establish
who couldn’t hack it
and gave in
and was the one
to call it quits.

It is vital
we each know
which of us
gets to be the victim.