"It wasn't chess, it was checkers." --Ian Anderson to a critic who had said he plays chess with his audience.
That's a neat trick, you with the blade,
filing your teeth into chess pieces in your sleep.
You'd prefer the whole board gray,
every piece a bishop, coming at an angle,
lifting scripture from both cheeks.
Don't talk with your mouth full,
don't run that sideways stuff at the magic hour
with a rabbit in your hat, it's a tired old trick.
Such stale gambits won't maneuver me
into doing what you lack the guts for yourself.
I'm retiring from this bullshit, let's try a new game, it's called
Truth Or Dare, and I play it with knives.
_________
for Sunday Muse #181.
This is witty and sharp as the knives it employs. I love the opening quote, and the way you expertly pick out the details of the pieces in play. The Prisoner is the kind of show that couldn't even be made today, tho they may try to reboot it all they want.
ReplyDeleteI am going to wager you saw "The Queen's Gambit" ~~ certainly hope you did. Love that you included my favorite musical treat from "Chess" ~~~ I saw it live twice and fell in love. I also have the CDs which I play much to the chagrin of son Carl (I sing at the top of my lungs) and I've neglected the most important point ~ your poem is wonderful.
ReplyDelete"...filing your teeth into chess pieces in your sleep." This among many. Great stuff! The Prisoner? Head stuff!
ReplyDeleteSo many glorious and cutting lines in this my friend! I especially love, "lifting scripture from both cheeks"! Brilliant is the only way your roll Shay! You never disappoint!!
ReplyDeleteMurray Head took me back - good old Tim Rice.
ReplyDeleteLove your writing:
every piece a bishop, coming at an angle,
lifting scripture from both cheeks.
Yea for the strength to stop playing tired games!
ReplyDeleteI'm retiring from this bullshit,
ReplyDeletelet's try a new game, it's called
Truth Or Dare, and I play it with knives.
Love the wit and humour , Shay! You played it cool right until the last line and delivered
a surprise!
Hank
I like how you start and end with knives, as if you might be talking to yourself.
ReplyDeleteVery cool lines/images:
“filing your teeth into chess pieces in your sleep.
You'd prefer the whole board gray,
every piece a bishop, coming at an angle,
lifting scripture from both cheeks.”
“don't run that sideways stuff at the magic hour”
Brilliant and playing truth or dare with knives can be dangerous. The bishops and the scriptures
ReplyDeleteso fitting.
"Every piece a bishop, coming at an angle." Wow. I dont know how you do it. I keep saying that because it is my response to your every poem. Wowzers!
ReplyDeleteSpirit wishes to tell you you never fall short of excellence!!
ReplyDelete"filing your teeth into chess pieces in your sleep." - That is so cool I could barely continue on with the rest of the poem. But then almost immediately this: "every piece a bishop, coming at an angle, / lifting scripture from both cheeks." Then the game changing ending. Fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThat's a fierce end line
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday
Much💜love
"lifting scripture from both cheeks'
ReplyDeleteThe last line was sharp as a knife!
i'd just quote every line. but instead, I'll just read it again. ~
ReplyDeleteI like the way the person someone is trying to play changes games. Glad they called the other one out on it.
ReplyDelete