Introduction to "The History of Conflict"

author’s note:

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing
there is a field. I’ll met your there.
         -- Rumi (trans. Barks/Moyne)

INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF CONFLICT


For this book, we interviewed
both a dog and a cat at length.

But we spoke to each separately
to avoid arguments between the two:
we didn’t want to add yet another tragedy
to a tome filled with tragedies.

However
the publisher asked
that the dog and cat
be photographed together
for purposes of promotion.

We feared the worst.
But instead the moment revealed the best:

as dog faced cat and cat faced dog
each saw the sadness in the other’s eyes--
saw how the other also felt
a burden of pain made heavy by
centuries--centuries--
of dog and cat fights.

Whenever I feel the need
to bolster my hope for the future
I recall that scene
of shared grief.

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