|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
DEEP CHESS |
| Life itself like championship chess |
| dark players jousting |
| on a checkered field |
| where you have only |
| so much time |
| to complete your moves |
| And your clock running |
| all the time |
| and if you take |
| too much time |
| for one move |
| you have that much less |
| for the rest |
| of your life |
| And your opponent |
| dark or fair |
| (which may or may not be |
| life itself) |
| bugging you with his deep eyes |
| or obscenely wiggling his crazy eyebrows |
| or blowing smoke in your face |
| or crossing and recrossing his legs |
| or her legs |
| or otherwise screwing around |
| and acting like some insolent invulnerable |
| unbeatable god |
| who can read your mind & heart |
| And one hasty move |
| may ruin you |
| for you must play |
| deep chess |
| (like the one deep game Spassky won from Fischer) |
| And if your unstudied opening |
| was not too brilliant |
| you must play to win not draw |
| and suddenly come up with |
| a new Nabokov variation |
| And then lay Him out at last |
| with some super end-game |
| no one has ever even dreamed of |
| And there's still time- |
| Your move |
|
Lawrence Ferlinghetti |
