Full Moon or Pawn to d4

Full Moon or

Pawn to d4

It’s different every time.  It’s different when

what’s first to go is the first to slide,

the pawn taking her opening square

in the middle of the board and waiting.

She’ll stay awhile, protective, wary

of maybe a bishop, or,

ooo, maybe the other (or her own)

Queen.  But see, she’s at ease here, just

doing her own, just small

enough to be called up to stand

against the sky of the player's
palm, white as she is

in her little nub 
of a face and 
small ruff. 

You favor her—Every time 
you rise and a bit more of you 
has slipped out

of the dark, 
Moon, 
by noon

on the second week you’ll nod

to this pawn and she to you

and you’ll both fix

 each other
with shadow.
   Though who

would see or know to see

for the sun, the Queen in any forward

 or corner.  Her shoulder’s

rigid with Worry.  
With Burden.  Moon,

you choose who 

you go completely 
nude for.  And
even though

all the rest are there, even though

the disorder has died 
and the game is nearly mated,

who remains depends

on nothing but withstanding

the concussion

of victory and defeat.
And how warm the room gets

when everyone else leaves.

And how sure and shaky

those fingers are

when it gets dark again

and she reaches

for you and you, 
through the win-

dow bars, 
her