You say it’s easy, in the way a game
of chess can be a choice of mate or draw,
you pray for victory and to my shame.
I wish for your defeat cause by our laws
you either win or lose; but if I say
it’s neither; that rules are often set
in such a way, we have to find the grey
between the black and white, and that my bet
is that a compromise can make us both
a winner and together we find growth.
Lucia, Minerva And Europa Anguissola Playing Chess by Sofonisba Anguissola
Ten lines for Kerry at toads on the subject of choices and crossroads. I will link up at Poetry Pantry in the morning.
November 19, 2016
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Ooh, this song would be a perfect “mate” for your poem:
Math and chess, man. You know what I like.
Math and mate… 🙂
check… 😉
The middle way! Good reminder. (Sometimes it takes some finding.)
This is such a brilliant extended metaphor! The rhyming is absolutely awesome. That, coupled with the wise content and form, brought to mind the clever, Puck (in A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Jester to the fairy king, Oberon). A super poem and apropos to the politics of black and white that the world seems to be moving towards.
The beauty of chess being an intelligent game! A great number of permutations that makes it more enjoyable than most!
Hank
Well, it seems so hard to compromise in this day and age. Actually there are certain things that should not be compromised though, I have come to realize in this political season!
Yes, of in any game there are things we cannot compromise on, but we have to win those by making then a benefit for all.
Love this. And believe it, too. The best games are the ones where we play to win together.
Wise and beautiful words.
I love the idea of finding a middle way that can benefit both ❤️ Beautifully rendered.
a compromise can make us both
a winner
We cannot hope for more than this.
Imagine a chess game in which a pawn can sit on the sidelines mid game and join in later? All those grey spaces!
“we have to find the grey / between the black and white” an intelligent move no doubt….
Another wonderful mix of art and poetry – Alice asks – what about the Red Queen 😉 the mother’s dress made her think of her..and sometimes hard as we try to meet in grey.. red can be exciting
i wish this to come to fruition in the ‘dire’ environment we now reside in the U.S.A
the alternating of the rhymes creates the black and white of the chessboard on which you have written 10 marvellous lines
For me those early games of chess were torturous–I didn’t understand that loss was a chance for someone else to shine. I thought I had to win to enjoy the game. Let me think about that a little in the grey light of your poem.
agreed! well played!
In this game of chess does anyone really win, I guess I wait in the grey area for a shining knight to restore balance.
I certainly enjoyed your yuse of rhyme and structure. Love the closing two lines.
If only everything really did work this way… a nice wish and hope.
Finding the grey has just gotten extra challenging in North America. Insightful poem, Bjorn.
Ignoring all rules in chess, politics, sexuality, and life is leading us into grey chaos…
Your point is well taken.
where there’s a win/win solution, the games are at its finest. Nice write
Thanks for dropping in at my Sunday Standard today Bjorn
much love…
The middle ground, the give and take – here we have hope in the promise of Peace…bkm
Good point, sometimes that middle ground is so difficult to find,
Elizabeth
https://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2016/11/20/we-dare-not-acquiesce/
To game and win is archetypal, to compromise is human. Yes.
Now, if the world could only learn this!
I agree with Wendy on this – it is a brilliant extended metaphor! it also reminded me of Miranda and Ferdinand playing chess near the end of The Tempest.
We never seem to cross the fences to join on common ground. Very thought provoking piece.
Very interesting. A compromise makes more sense than losing most parties in both the sides. But the need to win makes things seem black and white when they can be grey. I loved this interpretation!
Your poem makes me wonder how much compromise will be evident in our new U.S. political climate. I hope there is at least some.
I always found chess too calculated and cold. I prefer card games, where one can use charm and luck. I completely agree with you, the chess-battlefield should transform into compromise, growing, sharing, learning.
Old to new:
What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
We was robbed.
There will be a next time (not sure where this one fits)
The system is rigged..
..
Someday I’ll tell my chess story. Thanks.
..