Chessmaster Of Time

Chessmaster Of Time
© Surazeus
2025 03 01

Luminous salamander of my heart 
rejoices when rain falls on maple leaves 
because she reigns as chessmaster of time 
when she maneuvers dictators and kings 
to believe they can fly on divine wings 
yet fall into the sea of arrogance. 

If the moon becomes the white horse of hope 
who gallops toward me on the open field, 
I may drive east across the prairie road 
while singing holy songs of grim despair 
which opens hole of possibility 
though another war is soon to begin. 

Among the lonely daffodils of fate 
we shall stop beside the rotting oak 
and eat sweet honey from heart of the world 
while contemplating where we shall go next 
on the secret journey of our own play 
for we are the stars of our cute romance. 

Though quicksilver storm of the holy mask 
crackles over vast fields of wheat and corn, 
we shall dance through the wild radio song 
with spectral sheets of anguish turned to joy 
when we join the grand victory parade 
swept by the wind down lonely small-town streets. 

Someday I want to see the Star Heart Sea 
which covers half our lumpy spinning globe 
with sparkling water of pacific calm 
so I can meet the Goddess of Despair 
who teaches me to show mercy to all 
though her eyes crackle with the judgment flame. 

Somnolent beauty of the apple tree 
sparks ponderous hunger of my stubborn heart 
to preach theology of mortal faith 
that every conscious creature dies someday 
and floats to nothing in stark empty light 
with soft distempered soul of unconcern. 

I never find tombs where my ancestors lie 
rotting in coffins of unshielded scorn 
till bones of their special characters form 
structure of bleak hills where children play chase 
with seamless fabric of our lost world view 
that flaps as melancholy flag in wind. 

Yet flowers of our bodies woven taut 
with private memories of lost childhood hours 
shine on the other side of silver light 
ten thousand years longer than empires last, 
prophesied by kind chessmaster of time 
who rides white horse of hope to Scythia.