David Maverick © 2007
Strategy must play out slowly
protection is tantamount
but so is lethal aggression
the squarely stark contrasts
of extreme dark and light
laid out before me
stir my essence
fire my soul
rally my spirit
ignite my wonder
whet my imagination
engage my player’s drive
with the need to be right
absolutely
wholly wrapt – I ponder
I scheme
I calculate
I can feel sweat
on the verge
but I must not
to show vulnerability
to hint at fear
is deadly
I must stay cool
this situation
is at once familiar
yet it feels
exotically foreign
strange
dangerous
caught in the grip
of debilitating angst
I also feel the stir
of indignation
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
anxiety gnaws at my resolve
the sensation
of a hollow
empty place
deep within
echoing with uncertainty
but I embrace the moment
I believe I see his truth
his diabolical vision
it is offering me
just enough answer
that I combust
with questions
but I feel they are
the right questions
to unlock my truth
to guide my path
while I’m held
suspended in inquiry
transfixed
by this beautiful mystery
suddenly — I feel elevated
by insight
impaled by vision
yes – yes
I see it
I see it clearly
my perfect move
I must make it boldly
but carefully
because everything rides on this
why am I so intense
you wonder
is this a matter
of life and death
you ask
oh no
my friend
oh no
it is far more serious than that
*
rob kistner © 2021
Poetry at: The Sunday Muse
Poetry at: poets & stortellerd
Poetry Inspired by Ecological Change: Earthweal
I absolutely love that ending Rob!! Just like chess, life if full of many big decisions that affect our next move. A great poem my friend!
Thank you Carrie! Life is like a chess game.
Yes, it is more serious than that! Well written; well played.
Thank you Charley, thank you for visiting…! 🙂
The tension before that all important move – whatever the circumstances. Nicely coiled!
Thank you Marion! Hopefully one has made the correct moves ahead of the final one, so the result is success — kinda like life… 🙂
Alas, I have never been any good at chess – far too impatient. I always want to play it like checkers, and of course one just can’t..
Patience apparently is the greatest lesson of chess, along with learning to strategize. I struggle like you do Rosemary… 😉
I love the way you drew this out, kept me on the edge of my seat .. well done Rob!
Thank you Helen. I write kind of like playing chess. I start with an idea, a game plan that sparks the first move/words, then I start playing/writing until I find the way to conclude… VICTORY! 🙂
LOL–this is what it felt like to watch certain-people-who-shall-not-be-named play in college. And it’s still both fascinating and frustrating. 🙂
Ain’t it though Chrissa. But we find things we are good at, things that others can marvel at…! 🙂
“it is offering me
just enough answer
that I combust
with questions” … Fantastic.
Also this:
“protection is tantamount
but so is lethal aggression
the squarely stark contrasts”
Thank you… 🙂 …kind of like life isn’t it?
Oh, how I identified with this, Rob! I was born fiercely competitive, and I’ve spent my life trying to be a gracious loser. A game of “Old Maid” can leave me anxious!! Good write!
Bev, I fully understand what you are saying – I am also competitive, and have had to learn how to accept defeat. I have been served enough loss to practice with… 🙂 …but we have learned to carry on haven’t we my friend.
Life is like a chess game too, isn’t it? sometimes it’s lucky, sometimes you come up against a grandmaster. 🙂
Thanks for pointing me to the Yes song.
Very much so cheong lee san. I also can find comparisons to creative endeavors to share traits with chess. You are welcome regarding the Yes song. I found their music portfolio to be smattered with some excellent work, like this one for example… 🙂
Verse 2 is my absolute favourite.
Happy Sunday Rob
Much love…
Ah, you like the building motivation, approaching the challenge. I like that too Gillena. Much love to you my friend… 🙂
Every enjoyable. I play chess miserably poorly. I love the shape you managed!
Thank you Lisa… 🙂
Ha, I love the metaphoric comparison of life and chess game….and LOVE the ending! Great work, Rob.
Thank you Sherry. I feel writing poetry to be a bit like chess. The empty page perhaps like a fresh board. You have to determine your game strategy, your topic and style/form you want to use. Then make your first move, your first words. As the game or the write moves forward, what changes might you need to make. Then how do you finish out the final few moves, or final edits. Thd goal to have had a game well played, or a piece well written. Of course, you could take anything one dndeavors to do in life, and compare it to chess. that’s a fascinating thing about chess.
The whole things remains true to its opening line.
I realized after i made my comment that the entire thing is one long line, no period or comma in sight. My bad.
Periods and commas, punctuation in general, just clutter things up Shay — and are only for the unimaginative! I let folks add their own dots, lines, and squiggles… 😉 I feel line breaks and blank lines are more effective — IMHO
Its sll one serial thought Shay.
Thank you for explaining it, and for the pointers.
😉
A war on a board. I wish all wars were waged this way – with passion but no injuries. Good write.
Appreciate it Myrna!
The reader can feel the tension running through the writers mind and pen. It has a fight or flight response. I could feel my pulse speed up a bit as I was reading. Seeing it clearly takes great insight and yes it’s far more serious than we realize.
Pleased you enjoyed this True! 🙂
I added on to your comment on my blog. Check it out when you have a moment. Haha having fun
Will do True…:)
Brilliant last line! Set up like a perfect end-game.
Thank you brother! 🙂
Rob, I love that stream of consciousness on strategy and the way you concluded it. Makes me wonder what *is* at stake!
Thank you Lisa. It was fun putting myself in the mindset of a game… 🙂