Middlegame

Submitted by Rowley_Junction on Wed, 12/16/2009 at 3:00pm.

Middlegame

With king in his keep
the horsemen advance
and foot soldiers recoil
with wary askance

Etched in archers' fury
and rout of battle throes
The regiments collide
in fierce metal blows

The cathedra is empty
'twas exchanged in the fray
From gambit to grave
for a surcoat to lay

But when guards fall asunder
the battle flanks right
And on wings of a fork
does white king take flight

The queen meets his gaze
as black armor turns rein
to swing heavy halberd
and the lady falls slain