My life is more than just a redundant collection
of moves witnessed and forgotten.
My life is not just another version
of Dr. Zhivago on a widescreen, muted.
My life is not just a poorly executed chess game
where all the pawns have been sacrificed
all the rooks smoke crack on the corner
all the knights are jockeying oblique positions
Just to get next to some ethnic queen

And I’m stuck moving in slow motion,
Out on the edge
In enemy territory
Moving Slowly
One thought at a time

They say that
Every game of chess
is often ruled by its opening
Every move has a consequence
Every advance forces a fall back
Every mistake costs life

And every prize takes sacrifice
That’s the nature of it












from: During the Apocalypse (2007)