A Chess Caprice

Oh to express with real success and worthy stress, the heartiness with which I bless the manliness of pensive chess.

For who can guess the broad excess of thoughtfulness and steadiness one must possess for full success in playing chess.

And I confess that no duress, no dire distress, can well repress the eagerness with which I press to play at chess.

No pityless, fair sorceress could dispossess by soft caress, by mien or dress the obsequiousness I owe to chess.

I love this poem, it is from a very old chess book...