Bucking the Triumphant Narrative

Demons come in all shapes and sizes

some are rock giants that rise from the earth and loom mightily

           casting a warning shadow signalling the destruction about to come

and others are soft and small, like gremlins 

           just before they reach that magic hour

At my age, it is impolite to not know your demons

   (especially those determined buggers who have hung on for so many years)

Not only is it impolite

It is downright rude to ignore them when they show up,

on time and dressed to the nines, 

          to big, family dinners

          once-in-a-lifetime events

          or even the edges of the mundane and simple day-to-day

There are those who fight their demons

          draped in battle gear

          armed to the teeth

          with the iron will to kill or be killed

And there are those who befriend this enemy

         welcoming the familiar 

         hoping to find common ground

         still not convinced this is a true adversary

The triumphant narrative slays the demon every time

          on Oprah and Dr. Phil

recruiting warriors to take up arms and stand naked

truths exposed 

stepping out into thin air,

trusting the path to materialize at the last moment

But when the screen goes blank–

when the real world reemerges–

and the warrior is a simple woman, no spear or shield,

the demons do not dissipate into a puff of smoke 

          and no one is walking off into a sunset

Rather they rise again from the ashes, phoenix and all

to wait patiently for their next moment.