by
Madeleine Alston


     You are familiar
       yet different
        I know you so well
       but I thought you were gone
        forever
        My old enemy
        my silent deadly adversary
       Why are you back?
       I beat you
       We had an understanding
       You retreated
        I triumphed
        you were gone for good
       Why have you come back here?
        stronger
        bigger
       relentless
       changed
        Don't you realize you can't win?
        we will fight
        and both take a beating
        and either
       you will retreat again
        or I will die
       and you will die with me
        Either way
       you lose
        So why did you come back?

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Joan Fleitas, Ed.D., R.N.
Associate Professor of Nursing, Lehman College, CUNY
Bronx, New York 10468

Last updated: November 14, 2004