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# The Chessboard
- URL: https://www.hawkword.com/poetry/the-chessboard/
- Published: 2023-08-20T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2023-08-20T12:00:00.000Z
- Description: imagine yourself as a piece on a board can't make any moves, not of your own accord no, every decision dictated above a hand that descends, lacking mitten or glove and grabs you in fingers still covered in grease so u...
- Author: A. Gee
- Tags: Poetry, Allpoetry Import, #Import 2026-04-25 19:56

imagine yourself as a piece on a board  
can't make any moves, not of your own accord  
no, every decision dictated above  
a hand that descends, lacking mitten or glove  
and grabs you in fingers still covered in grease  
so unceremonious, no thanks or please  
just moves you wherever, and says, stay right here  
and you, just a pawn, have the whole world to fear  
but opposite you there are bishops and kings  
they think that it's them that are pulling the strings  
but really for all of us, it's just that hand  
and we, like all pawns, struggle to understand