A savage war ravages the floor of my living room
The war’s brutality makes mockery of even the Great Wars
Screams of the wounded can be heard from the adjacent room
But there is no sound
For they would not allow it
The rulers of the two Armies
Abandoned the black and white battlefield
The Battle remains
Unfinished
Yet, there still remains
Agony all around
Alas, the noble horsemen are dead
Fallen to the ground
Forever forgotten
Strewn carelessly off the side of the war zone
Alas, the once-formidable castles are cracked
Under siege and deserted
Left to be destroyed
Alas, the honorable bishops have been kidnapped
Knocked off to the side of the board
Surrounded by their fallen brethren
Alas, worst of all
The suffering peasantry, those brave little pawns
Crying out for salvation
From the cracks, scratches, and fatality
Unable to move away quick enough
From the massacre that fell upon them
But there are 4 curious figures still on that checkered battlefield
Two pieces remain on each side of the chess board in my living room
Safe from harm
Without a scratch or a chip
Overlooking the suffering from their regal perch
Reaping the rewards that were born from blood
Sending the valiant peasantry into battle
Not warning them of the death that comes with battle
Not letting them hear the shouts and cries of those that came before them
They have been doing this since the beginning of time, without criticism
For these 4 are beloved and feared among us all
Can you guess who they are?
I really like the metaphor of the chess pieces. I also really like how you ended with "Can you guess who they are?", it not only engages the reader, but also creates a mysterious ending to the poem's metaphor. Great writing!
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you wrote about chess like a war or vice versa and also the repetition of Alas, made the poem sound old-style. My favorite line is probably "the suffering peasantry, those brave little pawns", perfectly describes the lower class. Good job!
ReplyDeleteThe comparison and personification of chess was very interesting. My favorite line was "the suffering peasantry, those brave little pawns," because of the parallels between medieval war and chess.
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