Not all battles are fought in miles and yards.

The same amount of blood, sweat and tears can be brought forth in so much less.

Bitterly fought until the very end.

Hounded by specters of all that was lost.

Looking for safety that may never happen within a lifetime.

Hope the only driving force.

***

My war is fought in inches.

I never knew that ground was being lost until I found the boundary.

So slow that I was taken by surprise.

Asleep at post even if I knew enemies could be approaching.

Threats mistaken for simple statues.

No observable progress.

***

I have fallen so far behind.

There is little room for error in a war of inches.

Every loss more and more pronounced.

Waking up just as the walls are already closing in.

Full loss meaning certain death.

Pinned between where hope should have been and complete defeat.

***

I wish I had known that I was signing up for a war of inches.

Maybe I would have valued the entire space better.

I will never get that space back, but maybe I could have fought harder.

I cling to the hope of a better tomorrow.

That I might not be another casualty.

So I still fight in the bloody war of inches.