The Thoughts of Chess Pieces

 

 

 

For those who've ever wondered what chess pieces would be thinking as they are played...

THE BATTLE IS SET

 

    From the lowest low to the highest high
medieval peasants and courtesans
pieces played as in real life fought
living and dying with each battle wrought
drawn the shields and emblazoned swords
wielded by knights tall on horse
and men-at-arms in iron mail

guarding kingdoms and castles far...

 

Are wars won with pike and sword?
Or is victory found in spiritual truth
embodied by the Bishops two;
and love, with courtly and deadly intrigue
in the hands and hearts of the wily Queens
who possess the greatest power of all...

 

Yet the kings are central in strategy,
with their capture, kingdoms fall.

Now let the perilous game begin

and see what thoughts there do befall...

*

*

 

 

OPENING MOVE- THE LOWLY WHITE PAWN       to d4

 

    "I am nothing, but to serve my king.
I am often the first to move
out, into the open field
where death awaits, awaits us all.
"Whether I should live or I should fall
I left my heart home with my peasant wife;
I faintly hear my children singing songs
of happier times and a better life…"

*

*

 

 

THE BLACK PAWN       to d5

 

    "Pray, do not despise me because I am black,
I often receive the vilest scorn
because of the armor that I have worn,
I am the first to counter thus
the White King’s first initial thrust
with what is always a lowly sort
thrown to the devil, just like I...

If we could bring out table and chair
we’d both set out some bread and meat
and pour ourselves a glass of wine
and talk of the wonders that life could bring;
but if we did, we’d lose our heads,
but what a moment we’d have had!
We’d both march to the gallows, glad,
having shown Kings and Knights, all strong
how the lowly can get along!"

*

*

 

 

A PAWN’S FINE CHARACTER       to c4

 

    "A King’s pawn I be, an' I say
I cannot let my ol' friend stray
into a dangerous, frightful way
without a bi' ‘o company…"

*

*

 

 

THE BLACK KNIGHT       to c6

 

    "From dark forests of the land
where demons spread fear into man
I’ve been spawned for din of war
all fear me, and all fear me more
when galloping upon their imperiled souls
with my grim black Ghosts of Death in tow."

*

*

 

 

THE WHITE KNIGHT       to f3

 

    "I know what you’re about to say,
“The White Knight has come to save the day!”
and if I could, I surely would,
but here I’m just a piece to play.
Yes, I trample the hapless pawns,
I do it now, and all day long,
and though I have great strength in me,
my battles are won with trickery…
my moves are strange, and hard to see,
and those that can’t, they cease to be..."

*

*

 

 

THE BLACK BISHOP       to g4

 

    "The heathen advance before me now
my task has begun, I must not bow
before the deadly White King’s Knights
and their white shadows that raid our nights.
I will win this battle for God and King,
so black bells may forever ring."

*

*

 

 

THE FIRST BLOW- THE DEATH OF A PAWN       White Pawn to d5

 

    The sun shines bright on both of them,
these two pawns, without prejudice,
it does not heed their miniscule fight,
and warms them both with its ray’s delight.
But down below the pawns are set
and into deadly battle met,
the white moves first, the black’s last sight
is of the dim sun's fading light.

*

*

 

 

THE BLACK QUEEN       to d5

 

    "Even though he was a pawn,
and I haven’t known him very long,
to see him slain before my eyes
makes this vengeance in me rise!
Out I charge, and I slay
the small white pawn, who loomed so large
before he died this fateful day…"

*

*

 

 

THE WHITE KING’S KNIGHT       to c3

 

    "The cavalry is called, and so I charge
onto the field to oblivion
with honor, if the fates may see it…
if I should live, and if I should breathe
I’ll be a better knight for thee…
for now, I must threaten the terrible Black Queen!"

*

*

 

 

THE BLACK QUEEN COUNTERS       to a5

 

    "What is this? A pitiful Knight
has come to brazenly challenge me?
Oh, how he bravely shields his King!
But a Queen am I, and with many a move
I easily counter his desperate blow.
I move with ease, and with wily eyes see 
his move could bring the death of his King…"

*

*

 

 

A WHITE PAWN BOLDLY ADVANCES       to d5

 

    "Oh, God above, Pity me!
They’re ordering me forward, I cannot see
how I’m to survive this aggressive move-
attacking a Knight far greater than I,
and as I dread, and as I fear
I’m now within range of the Black Queen’s spear…"

*

*

 

 

THE BLACK KING CASTLE’S       O-O-O

 

    "To strike such fear into a King
does that disciplined soldier-peasant bring!
Now a tactical retreat behind my walls
and to my council raise the calls
to reformulate my strategies…"

*

*

 

 

THE WHITE BISHOP SHIELDS HIS KING     to d2

 

    "All that stands between my king
and death is a knight and pawn, I see,
it’s time I move, I must protect
my sire, my God, and the rest
who depend on me in times of strife,
it is my call, it is my life…"

*

*

 

 

BLACK BISHOP SLAYS A WHITE KNIGHT       to f3

 

    "I've walked unto the plains of death
to sacrifice my life for thee,
for though I slay a White King’s Knight
it may also be the end of me.
So I slay, and then I pray…"

*

*

 

 

A WHITE PAWN’S CALL TO ARMS       to f3

 

    "Oh, Bishop, yes, I know you’re black,
but it does not diminish the dire fact
that I must kill thee with my sword,
please, I beg forgiveness from your Lord
as I defend my realm and King
and gain a Knight soul’s justice here
and win the honor that it brings…"

*

*

 

 

THE BLACK KNIGHT ADVANCES       to b4

 

    "From the depths of crimson hell
I sally forth with blood-drenched yell
to strike mortal fear and terror in those
foolish enough to stand and oppose
the fear and fright of a Black King’s Knight

and also by so doing, to shield my Queen…"

*

*

 

 

A WHITE PAWN IS GIVEN HIS ORDERS       to a3

 

    "My orders are to attack who and with who right near?
The Black Knight? With the Black Queen there?
Oh, what is to become of me!
Yes, I will do my best, and I'll pray
I do not die this perilous day;
I'll gain fame for pawns everywhere…
I'll march forward with death thick in air…"

*

*

 

 

THE BLACK KNIGHT STRIKES       to d5

 

    "Curses! I am attacked in front,
but to my side I see a mark
that will make the cursed White King’s realm
a measure weaker, though just a pawn…
I’ll see the heart of the White King waiver
when I turn the battle to our favor…"

*

*

 

 

THE WHITE KNIGHT ROBBED HIS OF GLORY       to a4

 

    "This is why White Knight’s exist,
for glorious moments such as this!
to take up arms against a foe
and slay a Black Knight with a blow,
and stand in the center of the field to see
two armies gaping in awe of me!
I'm ready to charge and slay the Knight…

but wait! New orders I’ve received,
“Go stand and face the Black King’s Queen?”
This cannot be! I only see
this robbing me of my destiny!
But the White King is wise, to disobey
could place our kingdom in jeopardy…"

*

*

 

 

THE BLACK QUEEN IS ONCE AGAIN CONFRONTED

 

 

   "The foolish White King again sends a pitiful Knight
to stand before me, with my Black Queen’s might…
but I see at once I must retreat,
the White King’s bishops have a bead on me…
To the side then...

no, it's this White Knight's square…

Forward?
No, it is the White Queen's lair…
Retreat? I couldn’t, too shameful, that,
but I cannot, that has become a Bishop's trap…
by Bishops, a Knight, White Queen, I’m trapped!
The wiles of a mighty Queen
foiled with Bishops’ purity!

I cry defeat, lay down to die,

forgive me, my King, cry not for I…"

*

*

 

 

THE FALL OF THE BLACK KINGDOM       game –1-0

 

and there, with his dead Queen at his side,
the Black King committed suicide,

for down a Queen, he lost his fight,

he knew the end was soon in sight.

*

*

 

 

 

THE WHITE KINGDOM REJOICES

White trumpets blare! The kingdom fair
survived the threat of the Blackest King,
his mighty Queen, his terrible Knights,
until the game is again alight…

 

Chess Moves from Alexander Alekhine vs Vladimir Nenarokov, 1907