The Fight
By Brady Gill
I once had a friend who would not admit
Anytime they mistakenly stepped in some shit
Since they didn’t see it
They never would clean it
They'd say, “I don’t smell it.”
And truly they'd mean it
And what do you do with that kind of friend
When telling the truth will make them defend
Even when you know better
It feels like it’s clever
To just let it be
Than force them to see
What can you say
To one who won’t know?
Can you force them to look?
Can you push them to grow?
What do you do
When you still smell the poo?
When you still smell the poo
What do you do?
What did I do?
I bit my tongue first
But with each soiled step
It only got worse
Though we were dear friends
It fast become true
There soon came a time
When my patience was through
I said, “That’s enough!
I can smell it, can you?
You’re stepping in poo
Just look at your shoe.”
But that didn’t do
For they looked right through
And looking up said
“I think it was you.”
So what do you do
When you still smell the poo?
When you still smell the poo
What do you do?
What did I do?
I didn’t do shit
I gritted my teeth
And put up with it
And though I knew better
I’d still take a sniff
While walking with them
I’d sniff and I’d whiff
And I’d whiff and I’d sniff
And clenching my jaw
My body gone stiff
I’d think to myself
If they'd just admit
Just admit that there’s shit
(Cause there’s shit, yes there’s shit)
And if they'd just admit that there’s shit on their shoe
Than this whole shitty thing
Would finally be through
They’d see I was right and know what to do
They’d know they were wrong and tell me that too
That they’re wrong and I’m right
And I’m right like I knew.
But who would admit
Something they don’t see?
And who says it’s easy
To give things for free?
And who were they hurting
Not really me . . .
I just didn’t like it
That they wouldn’t see.
Maybe . . .
I thought while walking along
If they stepped in more shit
they'd see they were wrong
If it just piled up they'd see it for sure
All that was needed was stepping in more
So now as we walked, and talked
As friends do
I’d sneakily guide them to where there was poo
I’d walk on the side
I thought was the best
Nudge them a bit
And they'd do the rest
And sure enough
They never would miss
And sure enough
I raised up my fists
“You must know it now
Must know that I’m right
Just look at your feet
And you’ll see the light
Just look at your shoe
All covered in poo
You know what to do
Tell me that it’s true!”
But they didn’t look down
They looked straight in my eyes
“I don’t see it that way”
And I feigned surprise
As if I hadn’t foreseen their reaction
As if I hadn’t had strange satisfaction
As if I didn’t love this fight
To prove to someone that
Their wrong and I’m right.
When two friends square off
It’s a terrible sight
Years are forgotten
Replaced with one sleight
No one will own
The first punch that’s thrown
For each feels it’s their flesh and bone
Against stone
These seeds that we sew
Seem fated to grow
Into blow after
Blow after
Blow after
Blow
If only they'd know
I’ll finally show
I’ll force them to know
I’ll force them to grow
I’ll force them to fight
To prove that I’m right
And they’ll know
And I’ll show
And they’ll finally know
Winded and bloodied
We stumbled apart
I looked at my friend
And gripping my heart
I knew with each bruise
My story was proved
For there was my friend
With their eyes on their shoes
Staring confused
They finally saw
They finally knew
But now that they knew
What could they do?
They barely could move
The damage I’d done
The battle I’d waged
The war that I’d won
To prove I was right
My friend had been broken
I saw that now
My eyes had been opened
My friend was defeated to get what I needed
But victory’s sour
With both of us cheated
Standing over them
it all seemed so strange
The bad guy
The victim
The battle
The pain
In the beginning it all seemed so fated
But clearly I see this is what I created
My friend is now gone
Out of my grasp
I lost them that day
Into dreams of the past
But still I go back
To learn what to do
To learn what to do when I still smell the poo
Cause when you smell the poo
What do you do?
What do you do when you still smell the poo?
Here’s what I do
I look at my shoe
Cause I know every time
There’s some on mine too.