Sun Tzu
By R. Cary
The brown gavel rests waiting to be heard. The room vacant, silent until her arrival. My palms sweaty. Fluorescent lights batter my eyes. ‘Relax’ my attorney says. My mind wanders. Sun Tzu enters my mind. This is war. Morality is on my side. Moral law Sun Tzu said. But the heavens, the seasons, are not. The temperature of this room, my opponent has the advantage. Earth, life and death, security and insecurity into narrowness, the scope on me cannot be removed. I am the target. I grab my weapon, my words and put my sights on her, the judge, the commander of wisdom and virtue, that is my target. The narrowness can become mine; security can be found in my morality. I wait, locked and loaded waiting for the judge to enter. Through method and discipline I will win. I tell my attorney I am ready. Focus on the judge I say. Sun Tzu will guide us. We all rise. The war is about to begin, the first shots to be fired. First witness, my ex-wife. Six hours of testimony. I was never able to get a shot off. Round after round riddled my body. My heart was bleeding out. On the 7th hour I take the final bullet. The scopes of intention see me from all angles. I lost this war. Three-year restraining order, children included. But I did win one aspect, my morality. I did not lie. I did not drop pamphlets of propaganda from the sky. My head held high to wait for the day for a new war to begin.
End
Sun Tzu
By R. Cary
Copyright 2022
Poetry & Prose By R. Cary 