Coffee shop conversation

A Poem by Coyote Poetry
Good coffee and a chess game is what life need to be. I miss the days of good conversation and chess games.

                                   Coffee shop conversation…

(May-day poetry twenty-three)

Old man with a laptop asked me. Can you play chess or just a pretender? I open the wood chess board. Set the white pieces on the board to my new friend and I lay the black down for me. He smiled and sat down. He told me. “Chess is like life. A good players played safely and never test the game. Like life. Is it better to play the game like a robot than play the game of life and chess fearless and unafraid?

I looked the old man. His eyes were serious. I told him. “It is who you are playing. Some games can become personal. Some games are for pleasure.”

He smiled at me and told me. “Today we play for pleasure. I don’t care if I lose or win. Let’s see if we can extend the game and the conversation.”

The old man told me many tales. He had wrote many book on life, war and human emotion. He told me he fought in the Vietnam war and came home to gather his mind and his thoughts. He told me he had killed and regret the memory everyday. He was saved by love. Dear parent and old love who stayed with him till last year. She left him. The cancer stole her.

I sat in silence. The chess game was very slow. I was trying to lose. He laughed at my desire to forfeit the game.  He told me. ‘”We need men like you. Not fearing defeat. Not afraid to express the truth. My books are locked-up in the laptop. Dead-man words don’t teach the world nothing. Better to be a alive writer than a invisible writer using their words as a safety net.”

I asked him why didn’t he tried to publish his stories. This generation need to know the truth. Men who saw hell and back need to tell the people. War is s**t.

He smiled and looked outside at the Monterey sun. He told me. Too late for me. My words will die with me. Blood and death need to be forgotten. I wrote down my brothers names who didn’t return home on a sheet of paper. I cried for them daily alone. I will join them soon. Old age is fair. Allowed us to find some sort of peace in the world of s**t.”

I lost the game and I would play many games of chess with my writer friend. He edited my poetry and I got  published because of his desire to make the words perfect. He allowed me to read some of his stories. They were not filled with blood and misery. He tried to see the good in the wild and crazy world.

His last words to me were. “A wise man can find good in the darkest of days. When I left Vietnam and touched the United States soil. I knew I was alive and had a chance. I had to live for the friends left in the soil of Vietnam. Today I’m thankful for my family, missed wife and opportunity to see  the sunrise and the moon rise to light the night.”

I have become the Coffee house poet. They call me the insane Poet. I learn from the many good conversations and chess games. Life is fair. Sometime we must lose to win. We must know  many lovers and have family at your feet. Old man logic is the good way. One day. I will join my friend. Old soldiers save places for missed friends.

           Coyote

Author's Note

Thank you for reading.

Reviews

[An owl on the moon]

I always appreciate the depth and emotion of your words, carrying us back through your experiences, across time, across days and nights... into the richness of life's joys and sorrows. I was actually just watching Queen's Gambit and playing chess just yesterday.

[Coyote Poetry]

I loved the show "Queen's Gambit." A amazing actress and thank you my friend for reading and the comment.

[~Sarah~ Idríel T..]

Good writing, I like chess but for me it is not important to win or lose. A good conversation. Coffee and friends.

[Coyote Poetry]

Me too dear Sarah. Nice to have someone willing to talk. The old days. Coffee shops and chess games. Nice place to befriend people with the same goals. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Delmar Cooper]

when I was a boy my mother told me to always keep good company.
when I was a boy my father told me to always be patriotic.
Now I am a man and a cynic.

[Coyote Poetry]

I have always watched the world with a logical eyes. Good to be a cynic. Less painful when the truth is showed. Hello Delmar and thank you for reading and the comment.

[Cherrie]

What a wonderful scene you have painted here. I enjoyed reading this so very much.

[Coyote Poetry]

Hello dear Cherrie. Good to have many good discussions. We can learn from each other. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[h d e rushin]

old soldiers rarely talk of war. They moved on from their youth perhaps when war seems most plausible. But my neighbor wears his Vietnam Jacket even while he takes out the trash. I think he is broadcasting his patriotism in this symbolic kind of way but when I found out he was a trump supporter and when he found out I was a bleeding heat liberal, we stopped speaking. Coffee House poets are those who drink it black and say what's exactly on their hearts. That I can appreciate. dana

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree dear Dana. I miss the days of coffee houses and poetry readings. We need conversation to learn. We are more the same than different. Thank you for reading and the comment. Defriended someone become of politics is foolish. Your neighbor is losing out on a good friend.

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

AMAzing
I love this
My brother served in Vietnam in army
He’s now 74 in Nz
It’s just like yesterday he came bk from the war
He’s 12 years my senior
A great true story you told with much emotion descriptions and life lessons
Thanks 🙏
Love the chess I can’t play I should learn but it’s always been an intriguing game when I watch it played
Hope you well
Do you still play chess ♟

[Coyote Poetry]

Yes I do. My seven year grandson is better than me already. I taught him how to play at four. We play almost everyday. A chess game is cool. No rushing and you can talk. Thank you dear Julie for reading and the comment.

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

I must learn then
But I have a few hobbies already lol 😂

[Coyote Poetry]

Never too late for us to learn new things dear Julie. Chess is nice. More fun, if you have time to relax and enjoy the game.

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Ok maybe I will