Endgame #3 / Chess Game #3 (Live)

They all think
They see a man
Who doesn't know
Which move to make
Which way to go
Whose private life
Caused his decline
Wrecked his grand design.

Some are vicious
Some are fools
And others blind
To see in me
One of their kind.

Anyone can be
A husband, lover
Sooner them than me
When they discover
Their domestic bliss is
Shelter for their failing.

Nothing could be worse
Than self-denial
Having to reverse
This endless trial
Of a partner's rather
Sad demands prevailing.

As you watch
Yourself caring
About a minor
Sporting triumph
Sharing
Your win with esoterics
Paranoids, hysterics
Who don't pay attention
To what goes on
Around them.

They leave the ones
They love the way
They found them
A normal person must
Dismiss you with disgust
And weep for those
Who trusted you.

Nothing you have said
Is revelation
Take my blues as red
My consolation's
Finding out at last
My one true
Obligation.

Since you seem to
Have shut out
The world at large
Then maybe I
Should cut out
Your tiny inessential
World inconsequential
In the kind of game
You're playing.

How do you do it?
I tried to be that
Cynical but blew it
I only changed your life
You left your
Home, your wife
I'm not surprised
I slipped your mind.

Nothing you have said
Is revelation
Take my blues as red
My consolation
Finding out at last
My one true
Obligation.

Listen to them shout
They saw you do it
In their minds, no doubt
That you've been through it
Suffered for your art
But in the end a winner.

We have never heard
Such an ovation
Who could not be stirred?
Such dedication
Skill and guts
A model for the young
Beginner.

They're completely
Enchanted
But they don't take your
Qualities for granted
It isn't very often
That the critics soften
Nonetheless you've
Won their hearts.

How can we begin to
Appreciate the work
That you've put into
Your calling through
The years
The blood, and sweat
And tears
The late, late nights
The early starts?

There they go again!
Your deeds inflame them
Drive them wild, but then
Who wants to tame them?
If they want a part of you
Who'd really blame them?

And so you're
Letting me know.

You're the only one
Who's never suffered
Anything at all!

How you've hated
My success!

Well, I won't crawl
And you can slink back
To your pawns
And to your tarts.

And every poison word
Shows that you never Svetlana: Soloists
Understood! Liar! Check
Never! Liar! Check
Florence
Never! Liar! Check
Never! Liar! Check
Never!
Never!

Nothing you have said
Is revelation
Take my blues as red
My consolation
Finding out that
I'm my only
Obligation.

Is there no one in my life
Who will not claim
My right to steal
My work, my name
My success
My fame
And my freedom?

Anatoly Sergievesky is the winner, and remains world
champion
So, you've done it. You're still the champion
I had to win to be free
Free for what?

Free to help your father if I go back
Free to play chess it's the only thing I can stay true to.