Game

I am playing
A board game
With eight-year
Old grandson at
A concrete table in
The botanical garden
In north-central Tucson
As folks stop look inquire
What we are doing moving
Small wooden blocks around
A map of the War of 1812 Great
Lakes and I am losing due to my
Underestimating an eight-year
Old who has called my bluff
At Detroit and attacked my
Garrison with Tecumseh
And the British which I
Did not think he saw
But which he did so
I will not make that
Mistake again but
We play several
Games and he
Gets better at
Strategy as
We laugh
Showing
Off to
Strangers
Who cannot
Believe a small
Child could play so
Complicated a history
Which is a block war game
Whose simplicity is elegant so
Each game is new as we measure
Each other’s bluffs tells tactics
And strategy learning who
Fought logistics terrain
Around the Great
Lakes infantry
Artillery and
Dragoons
Gaming
But also we
Learn about each
Other’s character in
Both victory and defeat.
We learn best to smile
At disappointment
Laugh at disaster
Show no glee in
Victory as one
Expects from
A cultured
Southern
Gentleman.
Later we allow
Ourselves a chuckle
At our adversary’s
Bad die roll as
Well as our
Own as a
Game is
Practice for
Self-control, a cool
And deliberate manner.