Page 19 - Fables volume 2

The watching machine would have smiled with glee
If it could; instead it said, “Now you see
That you might need to find a solution
Requiring some conflict resolution.”

She frowned. “You mean a dispute’s best resolved
If I can get a third party involved—
That I should look for a mediator,
When I want to be a gladiator?”

“Yes,” replied the watcher. “That’s your first choice.
If you can’t find one, then use your own voice
To reduce the chance of escalation
Into a hazardous situation.”

Wanda admitted, “I guess that would be
Both better for them and better for me
If somehow by patient verbalizing
I can coax them into compromising.”

“That’s a lot closer to the truth,” it said;
“Now it is time to replay in your head
What happened when you gave in to your wrath
Instead of doing some tit-for-tat math.”

“Oh, all right,” she said, “although it’s a strain
Remembering with my organic brain.
I was cranky and tried to upset you;
You did it back so I tried to get you.”

“I could have ignored your vocal attack
And waited to see if you would turn back,”
Said the machine. “But I saw I could use
It to show you why not to blow a fuse.”

“Okay, so in my anger I forgot
Whether I could disable you or not;
When I’m rational I know I can’t:
A good reason not to go on a rant.”