Chess Morality IV: Dialogue

CAISSA:   Let squares and pieces move into position--
          How machines have turned the Self against the Soul--
          Eight ranks, ten files in decimal tradition,
          Computer implements the dual role,
          As much as not to state by article
          Of faith, Light to be sheer wave or particle.  
			 
FALCON:   My symbol for lost species, tribes, and arts
          Living by wits, catch as catch can, off-guard--
          As whole is greater than sum of the parts,
          The call is to fulfill and not discard
          The Tower, Horse, and Bishop holding fast,
          The playing pieces cut out for our cast.  
			 
CHORUS:   Chessmen, like Horses on a carrousel,
          Their chiseled dreams appear from pole to pole
          To try one's wits in moment of perusal,
          Anon to turn over another roll,
          The folded arms of Chess propriety
          May seek to grasp the chosen moiety. 
			 
COMPUTER: What goes around must come around again,
          The nature of the beast Reality
          Recursive dreams are functions of the brain,
          No way to reconcile duality.
          Ghost or virus, use Undo or Delete.
          The stronger chess program, fewer can beat.    
			 
A PLAYER: Just beat it to the draw, the win's unclear!
          Stopgap laptop, as may some Luddites strike,
          Take a slow boat coming back in a leap year.
          Mainframe, lamebrain, stow away all alike
          Hardware, ports, chips, drivel, drives, even keys
          Betide the faceless software seven seas.   

CAISSA:   Spectre of the pirate ship chess purists
          Every shape of the game another look:
          Back to square one, computers and tourists,
          Nor one to master winning by the book
          As like an anchor Falcon draws adrift
          The more degrees of freedom for the shift.                    
			 
			           George William Duke   2001

Next: Chess Morality V: The System