The White Chess Pieces

~ With reference to songwriter Patty Smith ~

The white chess pieces - incite my envy, my jealousy,

Or whatever emotion it is,  they strategize all on their own:

There is no puppet master, no hand moving the pieces,

Simply magic, they say, so just assume their positions, an animation

Of obvious devotion, braised and branded

ostentatiously to prove not that they love you more,

But that you love them more than me.

But each game outwits them, the ones between you and me.

White chess pieces eventually awaken from the dream of having invincibility

Now they realize they never even saw the black chess pieces 

(… because the night …  was made for lovers, after all.)

And even during the day, they miss their cue 

To prove their love, more than I love me. 

Because they don’t.

White chess pieces, all played out in the end, all are in your sweater pocket.

Queen Daria gets swallowed by your black night and mine.

No woman worthy gets anywhere without a black night or two.

- 2024 Feb 17th (c) Aralia Fresia aka LND