[vc_row row_height_percent=”50″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”2″ top_padding=”3″ bottom_padding=”3″ back_image=”56863″ back_position=”center top” overlay_alpha=”0″ gutter_size=”3″ shift_y=”0″][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ position_vertical=”bottom” style=”dark” overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ zoom_width=”0″ zoom_height=”0″ width=”1/1″][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=”h1″ text_size=”fontsize-338686″ text_height=”fontheight-179065″ text_space=”fontspace-111509″ text_font=”font-762333″ text_weight=”700″ text_color=”color-xsdn” sub_reduced=”yes” subheading=”by Mercedes Lawry”]Fight[/vc_custom_heading][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space empty_h=”2″][vc_column_text]Played out on a green field, square,
or roughly so, the intersection of two boys,
one and the other in conflict, tempers abraded.
Was he wronged, this one, or caught in slant perception?
Was he insulted, that one, at such ruinous assumption?
The roil of blood was quick, accelerated hearts.
As under the blue sky with stray clouds, the boys
laid hands upon each other and the force against flesh
incited more. The twist of limbs became full focus.
Did the boys shed some semblance of self,
distill to whatever propelled the species,
descent or revelation, inflicting violence
that sleeps in us, deep or shallow, smothered
or encouraged? What it might take to strike,
a momentary thought, a sorrow, a slice of despair
when action breeds injustice, or knocks us off center.
It’s not survival here in this field, grasses ticking.
Is there room enough to judge? Is the darkness
less or more? Are we the darkness?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ align_horizontal=”align_center” overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ width=”1/1″][vc_empty_space][vc_separator sep_color=”color-184322″ el_width=”30%”][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ align_horizontal=”align_right” overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ width=”1/3″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]Mercedes Lawry has published poetry in Prairie Schooner, Poetry, Nimrod, Harpur Palate, and elsewhere. She’s published two chapbooks as well as short fiction and stories and poems for children. She lives in Seattle.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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