Chess. Saturday Mar 27, 2010

Divorce Bard's Blog

...Iambic pentameter is for the ear. Read it out loud.

Divorce Bard

Location: pretty how town, USA
Birthday: February 13

Bio: While the ashes of marriage #2 were cooling, I began a journal here in verse, to keep myself out of trouble. So far so good, and one day at a time. I took a hiatus this past January, and I missed it terribly. Writing daily had changed the way I think - not my opinions, but the process of thinking itself. So here I am back again, and hungry. I began with three rules: (1) Iambic pentameter, (2) Perfect rhyme, and (3) It had to be true (no hyperbole). I hereby amend rule number 3: If I'm writing about myself, yes, it has to be true. But it doesn't, if I want to tell a story.

MY RECENT POSTS

In My Kitchen
April 08, 2012 01:08AM
A Faded Drawing
March 31, 2012 09:33PM
An Incident.
February 26, 2012 05:13PM
Hands
February 18, 2012 09:26PM
A Valentine to My Two Kids. Tuesday Feb 14, 2012
February 14, 2012 01:56AM

MY RECENT COMMENTS

“Man, what does a guy have to write in this town to get some attention like this?”
May 25, 2012 01:14AM
“Brass - on lessons learned, and your note "we have a better feel for the con…”
May 10, 2012 12:40AM
“...and there was a little period, a couple of years ago, when it was really touch…”
May 02, 2012 01:32AM
“42? I can't remember anything special about that year at all. 56: I only just fig…”
May 02, 2012 01:31AM
“I have to agree with Chicken Maaan. I don't know what it is, exactly, about seei…”
May 02, 2012 01:25AM

Divorce Bard's Links

December: 12/31/10 A Very Small Thing; 12/30/10 Anonymous #11 (A Villanelle); 12/29/10 Block; 12/28/10 Coffee #6 (A Triloet); 12/27/10 Anonymous #10; 12/26/10 12" Predicted; 12/25/10 Anonymous #9; 12/24/10 Rant #2; 12/23/10 Personal Ad; 12/22/10 After Moore: VIII (Goodnight #38); 12/21/10 After Moore: VII; 12/20/10 After Moore: VI; 12/19/10 After Moore: V; 12/18/10 After Moore: IV; 12/17/10 After Moore: III; 12/16/10 After Moore: II; 12/15/10 After Moore: I; 12/14/10 -7 c.; 12/13/10 Tannenbaum; 12/12/10 A Walk; 12/11/10 Anonymous #8 (Rain Predicted); 12/10/10 Diphthong; 12/9/10 December Drive; 12/8/10 Recounting #2; 12/7/10 Driving Home; 12/6/10 Goodnight #37; 12/5/10 Mask; 12/4/10 Anonymous #7; 12/3/10 First #2; 12/2/10 Missed; 12/1/10 Goodnight #36
November: 11/30/10 Goodnight #35; 11/29/10 5 Syllables; 11/28/10 Sanctuary; 11/27/10 Solomon Moment; 11/26/10 Goodnight #34; 11/25/10 Gratitude; 11/24/10 Macy's; 11/23/10 First; 11/22/10 Dear Old; 11/21/10 I Um...; 11/20/10 Their Absence; 11/19/10 Anonymous #6; 11/18/10 So There; 11/17/10 Late Autumn; 11/16/10 Rescue; 11/15/10 Award; 11/14/10 Fantasia; 11/13/10 Support Network; 11/12/10 Listen; 11/11/10 Parts of Speech; 11/10/10 Errant; 11/9/10 Curiosity; 11/8/10 Memoirs; 11/7/10 Hunter; 11/6/10 Cusp; 11/5/10 Balance Due #2; 11/4/10 Carmen; 11/3/10 Coffee #5; 11/2/10 Easy Now; 11/1/10 On/Off
October: 10/31/10 Treat; 10/30/10 Goodnight #33; 10/29/10 Goodnight #32; 10/28/10 Two Thousand; 10/27/10 Spanish Prisoner; 10/26/10 Doohickey; 10/25/10 Deadline Met; 10/24/10 Goodnight #31; 10/23/10 App #2; 10/22/10 App; 10/21/10 Goodnight #30; 10/20/10 Homework; 10/19/10 Goodnight #29; 10/18/10 Cat Lady; 10/17/10 Cosmology; 10/16/10 Where I Sleep; 10/15/10 At Last (Goodnight #28); 10/14/10 Beginner Band; 10/13/10 Coffee #4; 10/12/10 Divorce Papers (Goodnight #27); 10/11/10 To a Sprite; 10/10/10 Poetry Fu; 10/9/10 Speechless; 10/8/10 Porch Light #2; 10/7/10 Anonymous #5; 10/6/10 Anonymous #4; 10/5/10 Anonymous #3; 10/4/10 Goodnight #26; 10/3/10 Next Door: 408; 10/2/10 Next Door: 412; 10/1/10 Oops
September: 9/30/10 Weather Report #2; 9/29/10 Shared Custody #3; 9/28/10 Seuss Story #2; 9/27/10 Reason; 9/26/10 Shared Custody #2; 9/25/10 Globalisation; 9/24/10 AL 288-1; 9/23/10 Equinox; 9/22/10 Temptation; 9/21/10 Seuss Story; 9/20/10 Goodnight #25; 9/19/10 Left Brain; 9/18/10 Present Company Excepted; 9/17/10 Flu; 9/16/10 Goodnight #24; 9/15/10 Goodnight #23; 9/14/10 Homework Question; 9/13/10 Bustle; 9/12/10 Security; 9/11/10 Antiphonal; 9/10/10 Quiet Muse; 9/9/10 Anonymous #2; 9/8/10 Fable; 9/7/10 Anonymous; 9/6/10 Dinner With the Kids; 9/5/10 Pets #4; 9/4/10 Pets #3; 9/3/10 Sunflowers #3; 9/2/10 Balance Due; 9/1/10 Agreement #2
August: 8/31/10 Berceuse; 8/30/10 Goodnight #22; 8/29/10 To My Daughter; 8/28/10 Flash; 8/27/10 Happy Birthday; 8/26/10 Pets #2; 8/25/10 Caption; 8/24/10 After Apoapsis; 8/23/10 The Envelope Said Grrr; 8/22/10 Rain; 8/21/10 Pets; 8/20/10 Atmospherics; 8/19/10 I Miss You; 8/18/10 Goodnight #21; 8/17/10 Walnuts; 8/16/10 Letter; 8/15/10 Returnables; 8/14/10 Goodnight #20; 8/13/10 Goodnight #19 (A Palindrome); 8/12/10 Ready for School (A Triolet); 8/11/10 Office (A Triolet); 8/10/10 Shared Custody (A Triolet); 8/9/10 Thinking (A Triolet); 8/8/10 Proofread THIS.; 8/7/10 What is a Wife?; 8/6/10 Awakening; 8/5/10 Goodnight #18; 8/4/10 Creeped Out; 8/3/10 Messenger; 8/2/10 Fingers Crossed; 8/1/10 Diner
July: 7/31/10 Basketball (A Triolet); 7/30/10 Nursery Rhyme; 7/29/10 Impermanence; 7/28/10 Goodnight #17; 7/27/10 Genesis I:1-3; 7/26/10 Maybe Just by Holding Still; 7/25/10 Roughing It; 7/24/10 Super Swing Golf; 7/23/10 FIFA; 7/22/10 Agreement; 7/21/10 Yes, Virginia; 7/20/10 Pssst; 7/19/10 Playdate; 7/18/10 Verano por la Tarde; 7/17/10 Sleeping Giant; 7/16/10 Circus Camp; 7/15/10 Pocket Change; 7/14/10 A Rattling; 7/13/10 Goodnight #16; 7/12/10 Wood Thrush; 7/11/10 Dickens Sketch; 7/10/10 Tangaria; 7/9/10 Distance #2; 7/8/10 Weather Report; 7/7/10 Seeing; 7/6/10 Goodnight #15; 7/5/10 Heat Wave; 7/4/10 Home; 7/3/10 Geology; 7/2/10 Star Light Star Bright; 7/1/10 Porch Light
June: 6/30/10 High Beams; 6/29/10 Travel Game; 6/28/10 Finished Packing; 6/27/10 Midnight; 6/26/10 Work/Play; 6/25/10 CPU 100%; 6/24/10 Fledgling; 6/23/10 Acuity; 6/22/10 Solstice #2; 6/21/10 Solstice; 6/20/10 Father's Day; 6/20/10 Repost for Father's Day; 6/19/10 Late Evening; 6/18/10 Preoccupation; 6/17/10 Goodnight #14; 6/16/10 Inquiry; 6/15/10 Accent; 6/14/10 Goodnight #13; 6/13/10 Chess #2; 6/12/10 Literacy; 6/11/10 Transition #4; 6/10/10 Wealth; 6/9/10 Goodnight #12; 6/8/10 Soon; 6/7/10 Talisman; 6/6/10 Reentry; 6/5/10 Late Spring; 6/4/10 Placeholder; 6/3/10 Goodnight #11; 6/2/10 Superman; 6/1/10 Rant
May: 5/31/10 Quick Visit; 5/30/10 Homecoming; 5/29/10 Maybe #2; 5/28/10 Goodnight #10; 5/27/10 Wish; 5/26/10 Blue Period; 5/25/10 Courage; 5/24/10 Poof; 5/23/10 Concert; 5/22/10 Quotidian #2; 5/21/10 Pine; 5/20/10 Anthem; 5/19/10 Goodnight #9; 5/18/10 Homework #2; 5/17/10 Baseball; 5/16/10 Late; 5/15/10 Sunflowers #2; 5/14/10 Injury; 5/13/10 Maybe; 5/12/10 Sick Day; 5/11/10 Jewelry; 5/10/10 Fixit; 5/9/10 Step; 5/8/10 Greeting Card; 5/7/10 Recounting; 5/6/10 Forward; 5/5/10 Sunflowers; 5/4/10 Goodnight #8; 5/3/10 Hunger; 5/2/10 Daydream; 5/1/10 Distance
April: 4/30/10 Friday Soccer; 4/29/10 Proximity; 4/28/10 Laundry #2; 4/27/10 Journal; 4/26/10 Kirlian Images; 4/25/10 Girl Scout Cookies; 4/24/10 Physics; 4/23/10 Peregrinations; 4/22/10 Ache; 4/21/10 Gamble Gambol; 4/20/10 Cartographer; 4/20/10 Ho ho ho; 4/18/10 Looming; 4/17/10 Activites; 4/16/10 Sleepover #2; 4/15/10 Revolution; 4/14/10 Great Circle; 4/13/10 Goodnight #7; 4/12/10 Bicycling; 4/11/10 Jitney; 4/10/10 Landscaping; 4/9/10 Goodnight #6; 4/8/10 Ex-smoker; 4/7/10 Busy; 4/6/10 Sleepover; 4/5/10 Spring #2; 4/4/10 Hello?; 4/3/10 Divination; 4/2/10 Later; 4/1/10 Beautiful Day
March: 3/31/10 1775; 3/30/10 Neighbors; 3/29/10 Testament; 3/28/10 Prisoner; 3/27/10 Chess; 3/26/10 Showtime; 3/25/10 Internal Debate; 3/24/10 Traveling South; 3/23/10 Rain; 3/22/10 Une Belle Journee; 3/21/10 Traveling North; 3/20/10 Goodnight #5; 3/19/10 Bystander; 3/18/10 Sun; 3/17/10 Wooden Spoon; 3/16/10 Solo; 3/15/10 Goodnight #4; 3/14/10 List; 3/13/10 Weather Watch; 3/12/10 Tacos; 3/11/10 Hands; 3/10/10 Viola #2; 3/9/10 Spring; 3/8/10 Viola #1; 3/7/10 Birthday; 3/6/10 Conceit; 3/5/10 Improvement #2; 3/4/10 EMail; 3/3/10 Basketball; 3/2/10 Goodnight #3; 3/1/10 Light
February: 2/28/10 Improvement; 2/27/10 Transition #3; 2/26/10 End of Day; 2/25/10 Transition #2; 2/24/10 Goodnight #2; 2/23/10 License; 2/22/10 Coffee #3; 2/21/10 After Periapsis; 2/20/10 Ikea #3; 2/19/10 Goodnight; 2/18/10 Dental Work; 2/17/10 Snow #3; 2/16/10 Snow #2; 2/15/10 Conversation; 2/14/10 Valentine; 2/13/10 Coffee #2; 2/12/10 Chin Up; 2/11/10 Dream #2; 2/10/10 Snow #1; 2/9/10 Parking Ticket; 2/8/10 Yellow; 2/7/10 Habit; 2/6/10 Ikea #2; 2/5/10 Homecoming; 2/4/10 Coffee #1; 2/3/10 Fever; 2/2/10 Forgot (again); 2/1/10 Quotidian
January: 1/31/10 Empty Seat; 1/30/10 Pinewood Derby; 1/29/10 Movie Night; 1/28/10 Quatrain 2; 1/27/10 Debts and Taxes; 1/26/10 Quatrain +1; 1/25/10 Therapy; 1/24/10 The Spelling is Important; 1/23/10 Jackie Chan; 1/22/10 Transition #1; 1/21/10 Dream #1; 1/20/10 Confession; 1/19/10 Something New; 1/18/10 No Answer; 1/17/10 Adjusting; 1/16/10 Ikea #1; 1/15/10 Routine; 1/14/10 Late Night; 1/13/10 Homework; 1/12/10 Not in the Kitchen!; 1/11/10 Blank; 1/10/10 Day's End; 1/9/10 HMO; 1/8/10 Forgot; 1/7/10 Distraction; 1/6/10 Ticket; 1/5/10 Target; 1/4/10 Holiday Memories; 1/3/10 Stumbling; 1/2/10 Morning; 1/1/10 Laundry

« Back to Posts

MARCH 27, 2010 7:11PM

Rate: 4 Flag

Today my little boy was here a while.
We started off our time by playing chess.
He has an immature, aggressive style
That comes from winning frequently, I guess.
I let him. Chess is difficult to teach:
Why learn how all the pieces move around
If that's the only goal he'll ever reach?
He'd never hear the small, exquisite sound
Of someone - him - announcing simply, "check."
So I keep track of every pawn and knight,
And now and then I give one up on spec,
Assured that I can keep the balance right,
By holding many little traps unseen.
And then he turns and takes my fucking queen.

Author tags:

recovery, children, divorce, separation, poetry

Your tags:

TIP:

Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!

Comments

Post a comment

I tend to let my boys win - but not too easily... am I wrong? R

Pavanne Veltman

March 27, 2010 07:28 PM

"And now and then I give one up on spec"
That's called GREAT parenting. And I love your last line turn!!

trilogy

March 27, 2010 07:43 PM

Yay!!! Good for him. There's nothing better than beating someone who thinks they're way better than you and actually IS better and doing it honestly. I have done thiss a few times with braniac friends of mine. They were so focused on looking out for me and giving me advice that I didn't want that they forgot about their own game.

Hurray for your little chess player. And how sweet of you to be playing with him. I love the game but I'm not very good at it.

Oh -- nice poem, too!