Chess
For Ellie Hoovs' Unofficial Wonderland Poetry Prompt Challenge
I watch as you contemplate your next attack move,
Brows knitted in a V, lips tight with strategy
Like they have been puckered with a leather drawstring.
How I hate to play chess with you.
I want to be a queen, imperious and proud
Knock you off the board, leave you flounder on the ground.
I don't have the guile to add you to my piece pile.
I am a mere pawn, a small soldier, guarded, guarding
In this game we play.
Chess is just a game after all.
If I lose, what will that mean?
But even in the confines of black and white squares,
I feel the tension of the arena.
I want to win but I don't know...
Do I have the strength? The conviction?
The drive?
You do, I know. I've seen it all too clearly
And I wish I hadn't.
A move needs to be made.
My move.
You are impatient.
You know where you want to go
And you want to lead me there.
I see you for what you are.
Can you see me for what I am
And does it blinker you to what I can become?
You see, in this game, on this board we share
It's not unknown for pawns to become queens
And I move my piece forward
Seeking the crown.
About the Creator
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Comments (14)
Nice, like the unsureness tone you created, it highlights the intensity of chess.
I love the questioning of power and worth throughout this piece. The unsure is so clear and relatable.
Very impressive & a great read. Such tension. I really like the ending & lead up: “Can you see me for what I am And does it blinker you to what I can become?”💖
The difference in most games of chess really does seem to come down to a single pawn.
Very nice, Rachel, and I love the ending
Oh my. I just love that ending. Well done.
Loved, "It's not unknown for pawns to become queens"! You worked wonders with the Chess metaphors!
So many great moves here! Awesome job!
This was so tense and thought-provoking! Fantastic lines throughout :)
Well-wrought! Regardless of who wins the game, the sum total of all the games played is bound to be a stalemate. Once we understand this, we can, at the very least, choose to be better people on the board, I think. Maybe going out early as a pawn is a mercy, as opposed to being the last two kings endlessly circling the board one sad space at a time.
I agree with Dhar, that's the best line 😁
"And does it blinker you to what I can become?" I especially loved the use of blinker in this line!
Very interesting poem to read. Like watching a saga . It would be interesting if you turn this into a story. Provocative
Well written