Jessica & Grandpa play chess


Quenched into Percentile (for Jessica)

She caught on to algebraic notation, as if,
she'd been born in the 64 square matrix,
whose precise logic spoke her mother tongue

They discussed, at length, the fianchetto formation ...
... how the defensive fortress of the castled King
was akin to the monarch's personal Masada

... how the power of the doubled Rooks and Queen
in the latent lance of Alekhine's Engine
gored the other position in thermodynamic dissipation

When he pointed out the cloaked irony of
Queen being strongest, but King paramount,
she shrugged, as if it were to be expected

Shaking hands, agreeing to the draw,
she smiled, joy precipitating from her face,
knowing there could be a world without losers



Poetry by Brian Oarr
Read 974 times
Written on 2015-01-07 at 03:02

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Bob
lol!!
looking back at you!
very good stuff!!
2015-01-11


Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
People who write quality poetry already have commented on the quality of this one. Late to the party, I agree with them.
2015-01-08



Meticulous wrought and a pleasure to read. I barely passed basic algebra and am probably the most inept chess player in all creation, but I still found your poem entertaining and well-crafted. Bravo.
2015-01-07


jim The PoetBay support member heart!
I like this, too, and the last line ties it together nicely. But it's the fourth to the last line ("she shrugged, as if it were to be expected"), which made the poem personal, defining Jessica.

The fifth to last line brought Macbeth to mind. I wonder if Shakespeare played chess.
2015-01-07



Such precise logic taught by mathematics and the game of chess.
I love your last line best of all, and it's one I will remember.
Great poem.
~Ashe
2015-01-07