Checkmates
Night after night, the ancient game is played.
Tonight, she is fair, while he takes the dark side.
The match begins as it always does.
Small pawns are flung into the fray, weakening the other’s defenses;
They strike and fall, their spent bodies lined up along the sides.
The more deadly pieces continue the assault.
She quickly takes a knight.
He attacks her bishop (and every other symbol of her religion).
She charges his rook with her queen;
But he’ll have none of that.
Her ill-advised thrust has exposed the crown.
He moves in for the kill.
In desperation, she sacrifices her virgin queen to his black knight,
But it’s too late;
His pieces unite and conquer.
Later, pieces are picked up and put away.
Players lie in their separate space.
A strange game this is.
No one wins or loses;
The secret is to survive until the next battle.
But each night’s moves cut deeper.
Each game grows more tiring.
And the final battle approaches.
The war that neither can win will end soon;
In bloody, dual checkmates that topple both king and queen.
© 1996. David D. Knapp. All Rights Reserved.
