Passed Pawn

The way ahead is clear

With none to block your path now drawing near.

You’ve risked it all to close

The distance to the goal behind your foes.

Success will bring promotion

And greater strength to match your pure devotion

To serve your gallant king

And fight a battle fit for bards to sing.

 

But you must also know

That, win or lose, the end will bring you low,

Returning to the role

You played before the battle took its toll.

And in your next campaign,

What changes, save your own traumatic strain?

The board remains the same

As kings send pawns to prosecute their game.

 

I think this will be the final installment in this series of poems inspired by chess. A "passed pawn" is one that doesn't have any opposing pawns in its way toward the end of the board, so it has a chance of reaching the end and being promoted to a more powerful piece. In this poem, the first eight lines essentially explain that, while the second set of eight lines takes a broader view and recognizes that, in the next game, the pawn will return to its original state again. As usual, I feel like this trend has parallels in the real world...