Duel Nature
Copyright 2003 by Jon Gill

Today, just as usual, I take my 10 paces
My opponent's the same, and he too turns and faces
I stare at his eyes, we face off one-on-one
We've loaded our differences into our guns
We've been doing this daily with no victory because
Sometimes I win and sometimes he does
He raises his weapon, I follow with mine
There's no telling who will be the winner this time

I kill my opponent, but he never quite dies
There's always that spark of a scoff in his eyes
As I walk away, I just know he'll be back
And we'll face off again in full frontal attack
It's a natural tendency that helps him survive
A nature inside me that keeps him alive
He'll never go quietly, despite what I shoot
To remove him I must cut him out from the root.

The problem with my evil, impetuous foe
Is that I listen too much to his cries of woe
I revive him, and feed him, and let my guard slack
He kisses my cheek and puts a knife in my back
Around and around goes the ring of betrayal
Each one will succeed and each on will fail
I hate him, but love him; he's all that I know
So back the the dueling I know we must go...

A stranger came one day, and taught me to shoot
He taught me of weeds, and taught me of roots
He gently revealed the error of my ways
And how I might beat my foe one of these days
With ire and fury he taught me to fight
Against a cowardly enemy prone to take flight
My duels go much better when my opponent is maimed
By the mere invocation of that great stranger's name!

There are laws much higher than that nature in me
That kept me and myself dueling incessantly
I've made that stranger a friend, instructor and master
And my progress towards victory's going much faster
My stature is growing, the battle's adjourning
With all of these great new techniques that I'm learning
He's cut from the root the duel nature of mine
The new nature has come, and it wins every time!


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