One square
poised on the board
unimportant, overlooked
by Bishop's blessing
and Knight's March.
As Queen's cut circles
round lost rice fields,
the rain runs clear
off curved, stone tiles.
The luckiest children
play here in exile
barefoot in pure mud
or asleep on woven reeds
their moments unfettered, 
ruleless; unlimited
on an island of green
in a monochrome sea.
Here, they rest.
The peace of pawns
who never learned to play.

Peace of Pawns

a wafer 
on a 
bee that
said enough 
to her 
workers how
this milky 
flavor with 
pone would
butterfly the 
Queen as
Ester said
a ruleless 
bunch there 
was made 
of gold 
in mambo