The Struggle Poem by Jacqueline Dorantes

Pressing the breast plate against my chest,
Double-checking the helmet is over my head
The adrenaline racing through my veins,
Knowing this fight will be the last.

My fingers slide over the sword,
Gently caressing the venomous blade
Licking my lips, the taste of victory,
Meeting the cold eyes of a familiar enemy.

I breathe in deeply,
As the seconds slowly advance
Nodding and comprehending,
We meet at last.

Our swords clash together,
As I am pushed to the ground
Droplets of sweat stinging my eyes,
I cannot allow her to claim the prize.

Recalling the years of pain,
The tears, fears and loneliness
I cannot lose, not again,
My weakness becomes my strength.

My muscles are aching,
As I rise to my feet
Swinging one last time,
Victory is mine!

My sword is square between her breasts,
The sunlight illuminates its edge
I can smell her fear and taste her submission,
As I pull her helmet off her head.

Bloody brown curls cascade over her face,
As my surroundings spin around me
Turning to stare at my enemy,
Identical brown eyes staring back empty.

My sword meets the floor,
As I fall on my knees
Crying, no- weeping,
For the girl draped before me.

I brush away her bloody curls,
And quickly close her brown eyes
Realizing all this time,
Who was this enemy of mine.

Thoughts race through my mind,
I thought others were the source of the pain
But really all of this time,
There was none other to blame.

I pull the helmet off,
My brown curls falling over my face
Closing my identical brown eyes,
Realizing she was me all this time.