Playing Checkers
Let me tell you a story about two friends
and all the wisdom this story lends
two men play checkers every day
each hold in their mind memories that stay
both are widowers living their final years
they keep in their pain and all of their tears
in old, crumpled hats and wrinkled overalls
they'll stay and play checkers until the night falls
in between moves they'll speak of their youth
their marriage, their children, their living truth
both are aging vets, both fought in a war
though never speak of it, days of blood and gore
they try to remember the days of their return
then to wrestle with memories etched in that burn
with wrinkled hands and swollen fingers, slightly bent
and years of tobacco that carry a strong scent
strong Cuban coffee is always there
sipped from an old cup of earthenware
the game is unimportant, it's the time they spend
through the last years, before life comes to an end
they play in a park with children around
the noise they hear heals and feels profound
some of the children will watch them play
others only look then run by them away
they're passing time in their timeless realm
so, the years of loneliness will not overwhelm
they walk with a shuffle as they finally leave
as for tomorrow, with each breath, they will cleave
4/15/22
contest Form-N-Narrative...LIFE
sponsor Constance La France
Copyright © Frederic Parker | Year Posted 2022
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