Student Publishing Program ::

Darwin Ding

Chess

Wood, monotone
A solid, nothing special
Sturdy and cheap
A chess piece

It sits atop a board
The same dull colors
Tiled in a checker pattern
Over its smooth surface

Soulless
An immobile rook, the wayward knight
A cruel queen who threatens and kills
So simple, yet so dead

A sudden shift
A bishop aligns with the queen
In beautiful synchronous harmony
Individuals coming together

The board comes to life
Beneath eye level there is vitality
Interactions between pieces
The game more than it seems

Wood, monotone?
A solid, nothing special?
Don’t be so superficial.

[TABLE OF CONTENTS, LHS CLASS OF 2013 EDITION]