Civilized Fights
A poem by Tasneem Khan

Civilized Fights  

My friend said that she and her partner 
Have very civilized fights,   

Impressed, I wanted to know,  
‘How do you do that?’  

Even as I imagined  
A bill of rights posted on their bedroom door; 
Customized for just the two of them.  
Or the scene playing out as though in a courtroom, 
With a sombre arbiter in attendance, dressed in black.
Perhaps they engaged in a duel; but more like chess.  
Each sharing in a respectful, patient taking of turns.  

When I asked her,  
She said that their weapon of choice was silence.  
Days; sometimes weeks  
Of absolute silence. 

I stared at her, uncomprehending. 
How could someone consider 
The absence of dialogue to be civilized? 

About the Author:

Tasneem Khan works as an Elementary Educator and currently lives in Bengaluru, India. She has been published in Oddball Magazine and Madras Courier.

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