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April 24, 2018

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Home » Feature » Education

The chess player

By Phillip Chao | 00:01 UTC+8 April 24, 2018 | Print Edition

In the crowd — I can see through his disguise

He paints the old man’s hair grey and white

Drawing beards for the younger boys

With a clown smile on his face

He appears so annoying in running race

He walks slowly during rainy days

When you are joyful he accelerates

Then counts to zero and ends the play

Seconds and minutes are his loyal pawn,

Moving and crouching in the front

Hours and days are his patriotic knights,

Jumping and leaping all around.

Weeks and months his bishops and rooks —

Waste them up and you will sob.

Years and decades like the queen standing aside,

Giving you the best moments of life.

He plays his chess between gears and wheels,

Alone down in his own labyrinth,

He chases his debts and pays the bills,

Hiding in the curtains with secrets veiled.

White and black he appears to the world,

“Seize your days!” That’s what people are told.

Treasure your time —

before it fades away —

Seek your new life for it’s easy to lose.

He carves the handsome with wrinkles and lines,

Deprive the statue’s light — it will never shine,

Hiding his cynical smiles from the crowds,

He was no one else,

But time itself.

Education


 

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