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He that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
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He that is least among you all, the same shall be great. |
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Poertree Senior Member
since 1999-11-05
Posts 1359UK |
"I want to be with you when you Mate" I turn, gaze up and whisper, "or die by your side". "I want to be near you when you flash your rank And blaze your royalty across the board". Pale and still she rakes the narrow file, Scans the black horizon, the ordered files and turns toward her husband King, her mate. Listless bored, He, careless, flips his sceptre, casts the die, Then cowardly subsides behind the rank, A foppish shadow by her shining side. I craved the honour of the lead, and sighed when she sang forth the Knight with honed, filed sword, and rank above my own. He eyed his black foe mate and lightly sprang a double leap to die, or not, within the tight square killing board. Cutting as a pike through flesh her gaze bored to the flank where, with castellated head and side of midnight dye, the ghastly Rook slid up the open file. "Beware the Gruenfeld Gambit; ware the Mate," a warning hiss behind me in the rank. And so with power she burst between our ranks, And with the Bishop struck across the board. (A pious mate, Ever caught between the victory for our side and a bloody blot in his celestial file). Black and white and red, they move and fight and die. The quiet endgame falls on crimson dye, We stalk the charnel field and breathe the rank and gory files. Almost alone, she shields me up the board against the waxing threat close at our side from her black sister. Interposed, she mates with death, and dies, Queenly, upon the board. A final rank I leap, the furthest side And crowned, reborn, the file laid bare, I Mate. [This message has been edited by Poertree (edited 12-27-1999).] |
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| © Copyright 1999 Poertree - All Rights Reserved | |||
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jbouder Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash |
Philip: This is exceptional. I read this several times and I am truly impressed. And why am I not surprised by your stretching the rules a bit ("bored" and "board")?  Jim "If I rest, I rust." - Martin Luther |
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hoot_owl_rn Member Patricius
since 1999-07-05
Posts 10750Glen Hope, PA USA |
Applauds ferverntly....wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!!! You did very well by this Philip. I myself like the stretching of the rules you used  |
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Skyfyre Senior Member
since 1999-08-15
Posts 1906Sitting in Michael's Lap |
BRAVA!  Love the format and the interchange between "Bored" and "Board" -- not sure if that's allowed but then again the mirth in life is in doing the things we are forbidden ... A most excellent verse, I bow to an effort well spent. --Kess You cannot choose the way of your death, but the path you choose will determine its own end. |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
Checkmate.... I read this a multitude of times... 'Tis a grand game you play, for sure... Of course, I love the theme - It's great and your rhyme scheme certainly works... not to mention your punny plays (my favorite poetic venture)... I couldn't find a set meter, but your creative format is consistent (and fun)... I like it... I like it... Did you go and sit next to jbouder when I said not to???? - I'm going to have to reconsider the seating arrangements in here. This one is just a bit too disruptive.....  [This message has been edited by Nan (edited 01-06-2000).] |
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jbouder Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash |
Philip: Don't let her fool you. I'm really the teacher's pet. Jim "If I rest, I rust." - Martin Luther |
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Poertree Senior Member
since 1999-11-05
Posts 1359UK |
Nan Thanks .. yes .. I tried every trick I could think of to "mask" the visibility of the end words - including "variable" meter ..lol No-one mentioned "side" and "sighed" ... ~smile~ Now for the tale telling: Here I am trying to write another and that Jim B ... ohhhhhh .. he is a one .. double sestinas, sonnet critiques, limerick challenges, digs at my nationality ... did you say distracting ..... good grief he never stops ... .. please teacher put him in the corner !! LMAO I'll have the demure Ruth back next to me please ........ .P |
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jbouder Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash |
No only pedantic and prissy but also a tattle tale! Jim "If I rest, I rust." - Martin Luther |
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hoot_owl_rn Member Patricius
since 1999-07-05
Posts 10750Glen Hope, PA USA |
Demure?? Well Philip, you just don't know me well enough I guess, but yes, please seat us next to each other Nan, obviously he does his homework better than I |
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