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Despite axiomatic renderings, life is not
A game of chess and chess is not a game
Of life; yet, when correlated and juxtaposed,
They are phenomenal ideological links when
They are scripted in sweet metaphors. Consider
The chess-board as the world of the distinctive
Colorful pieces—their identities—as those who
Makeup that world with its challenging interactions
In which all are seemingly equal in designated
Positions and seemingly endowed with democratic
Abilities—where gains and losses are the results
Of choices made—and in the game, the kings and
Queens possess powers that can be viewed as both
Liberators and oppressors—
Interestingly, this paralleling is irrespective of color!
And is also true of knights, bishops, rooks and pawns
(Each in their respective roles, subject to elimination)
In the game, victory depends upon the moves made—
Offensive moves and defensive moves are both made
To counter-act each other with anticipated future moves.
In the end, the game terminates in either a stalemate or
A checkmate—to start over with the same enthusiasm—
In either case, the game gets to start anew. And players
Will have learned what did work and what did not; thus
The games go on until players decide to take a break.
And that is about as simple and difficult it gets—in chess.
So, what about life, you say? Oh, that’s easy! You see life
Is the most complicated endeavor in all reality—Life—
For one thing, there are no players—board or pieces—
Only the world and the categories of people who are its
Dwellers and where color matters in the distribution of
Power And mobility in this reality where black kings and
Queens are dethroned; knights and bishops are reduced
To serving aides; Rooks suffer PTSD and black pawns are
Deemed the new Millennium slave population—
To make a long story short and clarify erroneous
Assumptions in the establishment of allegorical
Relationships between chess and life, it must be
Understood that, unlike White lives, Black lives finds
It almost Impossible to start over when all—in their
Reality—moves to make their stalemates and checkmates
Permanent; indeed, while the game of chess may enhance
Critical thinking skills and teach warrior-like strategies
In the achievement of various victories, let no one try
To convince you—black folk—that in today’s reality,
Life is just like a game of chess. Likewise, this too you must
Be aware of—life never was, never is and will never be like
A box of chocolate either—Chocolate people have always
Known what it is they are going to get in this life—Holy hell!
There are no two ways about it—chess is a game—life a reality.
Thus, as you read and ponder where this pen is going, it is my
Suggestion that tonight you should sit down and play chess;
And tomorrow, go out there and check the real-life survival
Moves you must daily make in efforts to avoid those ever
Present oppressive stalemate arresting hands and those ever
Present murderous checkmate knees they are paired with.
*~Inspired from watching two little black girls playing chess.
One said to the other: “I move first. I got the white pieces.”
