there is one war that every man wages,

every man wins

everyman loses.

this is the only war.

if you fight it with a friend

another country

or a dirty criminal

know that you fought it with yourself

first.

no matter party line, religion,

or even sexual orientation,

this is the only war.

and when you face other men in other wars, know

between you all

that you’re really fighting one war.

that’s the long fought war

the one you didn’t see yourself giving in to

but it came.

that’s the one you were gonna hold out for

the one you were gonna use to prove yourself somethin

but it came.

that’s the fight you fought to fight

knowing that you’d lose.

and that’s the blissful agony

in blowing your refuse.

That’s the one you kneel over

cursing why you did

gnashing your gnarled teeth yet laughing–

you’d do it all again.

then there’s the time. the time you really packed it all in. you know

you got your point across. but you just had to cross that line.

and then you really give it your all. there’s no turning back.

it’s not gonna be you. it’s not gonna be him.

you fight, you fight that bitter fight.

and it all comes to a head.

and you’ve won. and you’ve lost.

–you feel it—that’s the real “fuck me.”–that’s the fight that makes and breaks you

–and you’d do it all again.

that’s what women’ll never understand. they can’t. it’s not a sexist thing.

it’s a man thing.

it’s the war.

the one you wage, lose, and win, over and over and over