Who’s Going to Win?

Sometimes I wrestle
With which side of me will win
My full attention

Is it the cynic,
Fatigued with unrequited
Effort, time and heart?

Or the optimist,
Ever on the lookout for
Simple signs of joy:

Letters from students:
The real live ones, right from the
Real live true mailbox;

A dog, so loyal
She insists on herding me
To my couch corner

So she can then claim
Her rightful spot as heir to
The spot by my feet;

My colleagues, daily
Reminding me just how much
Deep respect and full

Admiration go
When it comes to seeing what
Is possible in life;

Time to spend reading
That one favorite book from when
You were just a kid,

The one that you read
Hundreds upon hundreds of
Times while growing up;

And then I realize
That if I pay attention
There is no contest.