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Maneuvers
by Michael Channing
one time and just that once
i beat my father at chess
he hemmed and hawed
shook his jaw and couldn’t
comprehend how his less-than-twelve-year old
could best him in fewer than five moves
i learned it from a book
seven years later he called me at college
told me he was thinking of ending his life
i did what any son should never have to do
attempt to talk him back from the edge of the board
it took hours and all the words i'd learned
to land on a stalemate
two kings all-powerful and useless
unable to approach the other
he called every night that week for a rematch
