Suggestion for tweaking your poem -great idea -well done. i particularly liked your last verse. Title ? The Royal Game ?
At dawn two warring heralds meet
And shining daggers wield
Infantry blazons black and white
against a checkered field
A lone knight's steed comes rearing in
clenched bit and foam drenched teeth
and lances rising pointed up
and sabers gleam unsheathed
But hold, rein, soldiers slowly step
Put chariots at bay
Those wielding holy mitre
will diagonally slay
Battle trumpets brassy loudly sound
They rouse a deadly queen
Archers in the turrets guard
as king stumbles in between
The king in her guarded keep
the horsemen far advanced
The foot soldiers cannot recoil
But glance warily askance
The arrows fly,the blood is spilt
Some heroes leave the stage
The foes collide exchanging blows
Ringing out in wooden rage
Cathedral still; defenestred
Some pews and rows are bare
The fray was bloody; on the boards
Lie gore and teeth and hair
Fine formations are sund'red
the battle flanks o’er right
And on the bright tine of a fork
Impaled, the king takes fright
The queen arrives, mounts his defense
black armor takes the blow
swings halberd heavy in the fray
yet falls to die below
Morning fog lit by misty sun
and scattered flames do lick
cold eyes fixt on unseen gods
bring succour to the sick
King musters strength though sorely slow
His soldiers now amassing
And two steps foolish (those of black)
Neat captures in the passing
Maidservant spots a timely gap
Races stealthily to ridge
And warriors laying down their lives
to aid her flight ; a bridge
How like a bee her fate is sealed
A humble worker egg
Royal jelly in the final row !
Transformed- she flies to save
New bride in arm, the king returns
to vanquish foe and fate
On seventh rank a final blow
-and white secures a mate.
In life, like chess we struggle long
put away childish things,
But wisdom,friendship,poems, and songs
Lifelong this game doth bring.
Until that final wooden push
the box lid firmly shuts
No further moves on spinning rock
We meet the burning bush.
And if brought to account
for time spent spinning here
We could do worse than say to it
"I played at chess while there"
For crueler games are often played
He might smile upon his throne
And beckon, smiling,board in hand,
And welcome chess players home.
And those beknighted, feted, proud.
whose deeds earned great renown.
lacking humbler kinder loving lives
In shame they might bow down
The game of life is quickly played
ten years and just 3 score
but greed and haste can be unlearnt
on squares of sixty four.
Our purpose? Ending? life itself?
The answer screen stiil dark
But those who curse might see the light
and play chess for a lark.
I think I just like the words of various weapons -- halberd, sabers and such. It sounds cool.
and daggers wield
Infantry blazon black and white
against a checkered field
A lone knight's steed
bears bit and teeth
when lances rise up
and sabers unsheathe
But hold rein, soldiers
Put chariots at bay
For those donning holy mitre
will men bring hither and slay
Battle trumpets sound
and rouse a weary queen
Archers in the turrets guard
as king is rushed between
the horsemen advance
and foot soldiers recoil
with wary askance
Etched in archers' fury
and rout of battle throes
The regiments collide
in fierce metal blows
The cathedra is empty
'twas exchanged in the fray
From gambit to grave
for a surcoat to lay
But when guards fall asunder
the battle flanks right
And on wings of a fork
does white king take flight
The queen meets his gaze
as black armor turns rein
to swing heavy halberd
and the lady falls slain
Morning fog is lit
by sun and scattered flame
weary eyes on unseen gods
with battalions now the same.
King gathers weapon
and soldiers amassing
And two steps of black
is captured in passing
Then maidservant begins
a race for the ridge!
And warriors lay down weapons
to build her a bridge
With his new bride the king returns
to corner foe and fate
On seventh rank a final blow
and white secures a mate.
(It makes more sense on my blog where it is split into three partitions. But oh well.)