Chessboard of Fate

The pawns all march, the kings all bow,
Yet fate still grins behind the vow.
Each move ordained, each step foreseen,
Yet none dare flee the board unseen.

The rooks may guard, the knights may fight,
Yet queens still weave the war in light.
The hands above still guide, still play,
Yet pieces bend and break away.

Yet even fate can miss its mark,
For schemes dissolve where minds embark.
A king once bound, now walks alone—
The board is cracked, the game unknown.