"Read the Board" - Bahamas AI Image
©A. Derek Catalano
Know How to Read the Board
The world is set upon a grid of alternating hues,
Where every step we dare to take is one we win or lose.
A grand design of black and white, a vast and complex floor,
And if you wish to conquer life, and settle up the score,
You cannot simply rush ahead or blindly strike a chord—
To win the game and claim your peace, you must read the board.
From the moment we are thrust into this great, unfolding match,
We find ourselves with boundaries, and strategies to hatch.
The pawns are like our daily chores, the small, initial strides,
The quiet steps we take each day where humble worth resides.
They seem so small, disposable, but do not look away;
A pawn that reaches to the end can change the game today.
So value every little choice, each minor, quiet word,
And plan their slow advancement as you learn to read the board.
The knights will leap in sudden turns, across the crowded space,
Reminding us that progress rarely moves a straight-line pace.
They jump the walls of obstacles that keep us hemmed inside,
And show that through creativity, our dreams can still abide.
But if you do not watch their arc, they’ll catch you unaware;
A sudden shift in fortune’s wind can trap you in a snare.
Anticipate the crooked paths where hidden threats are stored,
And map out every angle as you learn to read the board.
.jpg "Tropic Isle")
