Twelve

I am twelve
My last year
As a boy playing
With small chess pieces
Plastic in Hannibal versus
Romans style laying on cool
Flagstones on my porch moving
The pieces for battle flanks
Center and reserve across
Shaded stones happy
Unaware of what lies
Ahead as I am now
Blissfully ignorant
Of what I cannot
Control or even
Influence but
Fascinated
By history
Leaders
War
All
Of which
I will never
Experience or
Make but at
Twelve too
Intent to
To care
Much
Just
As
Today.