ARMISTICE

APRIL 9TH, 1865 ENDED A GREAT WAR- THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. APRIL 5TH, 2006 ENDED MY GREAT STRUGGLE. MY SURRENDER REEKED OF THE EMBARRASSMENT OF A RELUCTANT AND UNSATISFACTORY CESSATION. A VERITABLE CAPITULATION TO OVERWHELMING ODDS. HAVING BEEN UNDER SEIGE FROM THE ACHE OF TENDONITIS ON MY KNEE FOR 6 MONTHS, HAVING ENDURED THE WITHERING FIRE FROM MY AVENGING DEMON, HAVING EXPERIENCED A PROVERBIAL 'DARK NIGHT OF MY SOUL,' I BOWED TO AN ARMISTICE WITH MY ENEMY. THOUGH I CURSED LIKE THE VICTIM IN EDGAR ALLAN POE'S POEM "THE RAVEN," AND PLEADED TO THE DEVIL OF MY PAIN TO "TAKE THY BEAK FROM OUT MY HEART, AND TAKE THY FORM FROM OFF MY DOOR!" I STILL HEARD MY RAVEN CROAK "NEVERMORE." THOUGH I TRIED TO SPIT BACK MY DEFIANT "NEVERMORE," I COULD ONLY MUMBLE A SUBMISSIVE, "WHATEVER, EVERMORE." MY WAR ENDED; NO RECONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN.