Do you ever find yourself engaged
    In a battle with no one there?
Do you ever find yourself enraged
    Over things that happen "out there"?
Here is a scene that might take place
    You would handle it like so...
A caustic rebuke; you lose your grace,
    The banter gets worse—you know...
It's not a scene that really took place
    Except within your own mind.
You had set the terms, set the place,
    You speak for both sides—then find,
The battle really did not happen.
    You had conjured up the worst.
And soon upon your foe you came, then
    You rued what you'd rehearsed.

                Author-Kenn Francart
               Copyright © April 1991