"How are you" had become an op'ning move,
A pawn to queen four. Having launched the game,
The players held to what they had to prove,
And ev'ry night it happened much the same,
Inexorably grinding to a halt
Amid a storm of hurt, and blame, and fault.
That game is done, the pieces packed away.
And both are left afraid of what to say.
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Alysa Salzberg
Melissa Miles McCarter
Scarlett Sumac
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Matt Paust
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Comments
Amid a storm of hurt, and blame, and fault.
I hope you won't mind my pulling that couplet out - because of course it's all of a piece - but I was taken by the way the rhythm of your words matched the meaning there - that slowing inexorable grind to halt - and then the storm of single syllables of pain.
That game is done>
and the poem, as usual, well done.
Joan, thank you. I see your avatar in my "updates" here, and I can't wait to read your rant.
anna1, you have quite summed it up there. I am working on that "not" part.
Kim, spot on. It's also an unpleasant way to end a chess game.
vanessa, your comments about this, here and elsewhere, have been very entertaining. I would love to run into you on the street - but only if I hadn't done anything wrong.
Poppi, we could go on with a chess metaphor all night: one way to end the game is to resign.
Midwest, thanks. Really, thanks.
Nikki, and thanks, really, to you as well. I am always happy to see you come by.
c&v, I don't mind. If you're going to say such nice things, you can pull out all the single couplets you want. I'll write more.
Muse, thanks. "Heavily still" sounds like a piece of a poem itself.
Pilgrim, an excellent question. Again, we could keep the chess metaphor going all night. Matter of fact, I'm curious about the etymology of a couple of terms now... why do we say "mate?"
tril, yes. With regrets, and many good memories, and a thousand unanswered questions.
Thank you, to you all.