Does he think me a fool
that I would fall for his ploy
be drawn into his trap
his feeble transparent gambit
I will not
but I feel a longing
as I search for discovery
praying I have not
exposed my hand
but I embrace the moment
I believe I see his truth
his diabolical vision
it is offering me
just enough insight
that I combust
with strategy
I feel confident
I see the right move
to unlock my truth
to guide my path
while I’m held
transfixed
by this beautiful mystery
I feel elevated
by my insight
yes – yes
I see it
I see it clearly
my perfect move
I must make it carefully
because everything rides on this
why so intense
you wonder
this is not a matter
of life and death
you say
oh yes
my friend
you are so right
it is far more serious than that
David Maverick © 2007
*
rob kistner © 2022
More poetry at: Sunday Muse
Friday writings at: Poets & Storytellers
Still more poetry at: earthweal
Great Poetry .. Great Music .. quick peek at John Lennon .. doesn’t get better. CHEERS.
Thank you Helen… 🙂
AND NOW?! You added my favorite song from Chess! I have the
2-disc CD from the musical, I have seen it twice onstage. Can you tell I am a fan?
No, seriously Helen… 😉 …never got to see it, but have been intrigued by it since first hearing “One Night…” years ago. I believe the musical was an ABBA project?
Yes, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaelus!
I found and posted a live concert version of “One Night In Bangkok”.
In some ways your poem has captured how I lose at chess. I get transfixed by a certain thing going on in the board. I make a move, not seeing the bigger picture. I love the image you chose Rob and your poem is a wonderful capturing of it and the beautiful mystery of life itself.
I enjoy chess. My 8-year-old grandson loves it and is good enough to beat adults when he stays concentrated. He gets bored at times, chess doesn’t hold the excitement of his video games. Love that image Carrie. It says a lot about the essence of chess, the game within against yourself.
Oh, I’ve never gotten the hang of Chess. Give me a game of Go anytime!
Great poem and music Rob, as ever! Hope all is well with you.
Thank you Kim… 🙂 I have never played go because, while being superficially aware of the game, I have never deeply investigated it. I think I will this winter. Thank you for reminding me of it Kim.
I could use some of (any of ) the focus required for chess. This was a vivid depiction of concentration.
Thank you Chrissa. Yes, when I can go deep enough to click into the hyper focused analytical component of my ADD, I always play a good game — but the distraction/boredom component of my ADD can work against me, if I am not committed to playing the particular game in which I am involved. So before I start seriously playing chess I spend a little time clearing my thoughts, psyching myself up with a singular focus to chess. When I am on, I lose myself to my surroundings in the moment — and I will not speak to anyone except my opponent, and then only sparingly Will I. It is similar to way I immerse myself when I am writing. I can lose many hours when I am in the writing zen zone, focusing right past, meals, thirst, tiredness, even basic bodily functions, feeling no awareness of them — until my body can just no longer physically ignore them, and then I crash into awareness, realizing them in a big moment, owing to extreme pangs or pain or exhaustion. Then I suddenly return in a rush, from being “somewhere else” mentally and emotionally. It is exhilarating, until it becomes ragingly exhausting.
Your last line made me laugh! (Wryly.)
A bigger bit of truth than one might initially realize Rosemary… 😉
Ah, a game for minds better suited than mine. I did love checkers though, when I was young.
I find chess to bd best suited for the tenacious optimistic pessimist — with a touch of ADD hyper focus. It requires more constant mental repetition of possible permutations than simply intellect.
Great ending!
Tnank you Debi… 🙂
You capture the tension — and the steep stakes — perfectly.
~Rob
Thank you Dora… 🙂
As a child family members tried to teach me how to play chess but, the dreamer in me just wanted to play in a magical kingdom. I was more interested in creating stories about the chess pieces…sigh…I have a very active imagination. haha
I have always had both a creative component, and a competitive component to my personality True, playing baseball and football up through high school, while also starting at age 16, performing in my numerous R&B and rock bands, being lead singer and lyricist. The music continued into my early 40’s, until I moved to Oregon. I also coached my daughter in soccer to become an Ohio High School All Star player in the 80’s and later after moving to Oregon in 1990, coached my surviving son to an Oregon State Babe Ruth baseball championship. Both sides of my personality continue today, writing poetry and prose, while loving board games, especially Chess. My creating mixed media art began in high school, and moved to a professional level in the 1970’s, continuing until COVID, when health restrictions, along with my age and personal health, made traveling to and participating in national juried art shows no longer an option. I had to all but abandon creating my art pieces last year as arthritis is ravaging my hands — I still try, but very slow going.. I now do the majority of my writing using thd voice transcriber on my iPad, editing with my iPad keyboard.
“I feel confident
I see the right move”
Takes me back, way back to those days when i played chess.
Much????love
It’s a good game Gillena… 😉
It’s so funny how those moments shine with such clarity, but often only in retrospect 🙁 Great poem, Rob!
Thank you Lisa… 🙂
A brilliant poem! Very introspective 🙂
Thank you Sunita… 🙂
I haven’t the mind for chess. I am so scatterbrained my focus is short lived.
I hear you Susie…
I played checkers until I beat Dad, then stopped. I played chess until I beat my husband, then stopped. I just had a feeling that more emotion would be attached to the game if I started winning, and it’d be better to spend time with those who’d taught me the games doing something else.
Discovery is what makes life rich Priscilla… 🙂