The poem is a short, unsettled reflection on the speaker's inner conflict. The "private war" suggests a struggle fought inside the mind rather than on any battlefield, and the odd image of pen and sword dancing together blurs two things we usually set against each other: writing and violence. Instead of clashing, they move in step, as if words and aggression have become partners.
The second stanza pushes this further by pairing "a desire not to offend" with "full-on evil." These shouldn't belong together, yet the poem places them side by side, hinting at how politeness and cruelty can sit close, or how holding back can coexist with something darker. The title line, "Opinion columnist," may nudge us to think of public commentary, though the poem doesn't spell this out.
The ending drops into a flat, weary mood. The night and day are "so grey," and the speaker says little could astonish them. It feels like numbness: a mind worn down by conflict until even shock has faded.