“Let Them Win” For My Grandfather..
I just found out that my grandfather has cancer in both lungs. In his honor, I am posting the poem I wrote about his peaceful spirit.
Let Them Win
As a small child, I looked at him with such love.
He stood proud and turned to look at the world with a smile.
His effortless nature seemed to make life look so easy.
As a child, of course, life was easy too.
We could talk about nothing but to us, it was everything.
The rest of the world was in a mad rush to get by.
For us, we could just sit and watch the birds.
And that was as complicated as it needed to be.
We’d play checkers grandpa and I.
His years of wisdom and strength vs. my innocence.
The game wasn’t really about winning.
It was more about playing.
The obvious irony of my few years to his world of knowledge
Made for a decisive victory in his favor.
Yet, somehow, I always seemed to win.
My small hands moving each piece simply for the sake of moving it.
I had no regard for strategy or for winning.
I just wanted to play.
And still, somehow, I always seemed to win.
We played checkers today grandpa and I.
My years of wisdom and strength vs. his innocence.
The game wasn’t really about winning.
It was more about playing.
The obvious irony of time and the spirit that compelled him to still play
Made for a decisive victory in my favor.
Yet, somehow, as I started to win, I stopped.
I saw his weak hands move each piece simply for the sake of being able to.
He had no regard for winning.
He just wanted to be able to play.
So, with no regard for victory
I let him win.
