Poem: "Whatever Our Souls Are Made Of"
Based on an audience poll, this is the free epic for the November 1, 2022 Poetry Fishbowl making its $200 goal. It's spillover from the May 3, 2022 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from . It also fills the "Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." (Wuthering Heights) square in my 5-1-22 card for the Mixed Quotes Bingo fest. This poem belongs to the series Eloquent Souls.
"Whatever Our Souls Are Made Of"
[Wednesday, August 14, 2019]
Tiana Menchik had a soulmark, but
she never paid any attention to it.
It had appeared on the inside of
her right forearm, nothing more than
a squiggle and the numbers 14.08.19.
She was more interested in math and
logic, and most interested in chess.
At college, Tiana majored in Math
and picked up Ethics as a minor
since it made an interesting contrast,
and she played in the chess club.
In her sophomore year, she made
friends with a new freshman who
joined the club, Gertrud Agrest.
The first chess meet of the season
turned into frustration when the building
for the chess club had a breakdown
in its air conditioning and was closed.
"My first chess meet in college, and
it's called on account of weather and
technical failures," Gertrud grumbled.
"Yeah, it's sweltering," said Tiana.
"Let's hit the student union, that
should still have air conditioning."
Inside, the union was pleasantly cool
but filled with hot, cranky students.
Gertrud spotted the chess club
sent over from the rival college.
"Oh look, we aren't the only
chess players here. Too bad
all the boards are still stuck
in the other building."
"Speak for yourself,"
Tiana said with a smirk.
She pulled a travel set
from her backpack. "I'm
going to go challenge them."
"Good idea," said Gertrud.
"Maybe I can use my phone."
Tiana stalked over to where
the rival chess players sat.
Silently she put her board on
the coffee table and set it up.
Just as silently, one of the boys
took a seat opposite her and
then laid claim to the black.
They had no chess clock,
so they had to make do
with a phone app instead.
Still, the game was fast and
furious, evenly matched.
It took Tiana until the last
few seconds to beat him.
Only when they shook hands
over the board did they notice
the sudden glint of gilding.
Their soulmarks were
identical, and settled.
What Tiana had mistaken
for a squiggle was actually
a heartbeat line that matched
the one on his side, and
the numbers were identical.
"Today's date," he said softly,
then laughed. "I hadn't noticed."
"I hadn't either," she said. "My name
is Tiana. It's so nice to meet you."
"I'm Vladimir," he said. "I'm glad
to meet you too. When I heard
about the air conditioning failure, I
thought this would be a wasted trip."
"Definitely worthwhile," Tiana said.
"What has you so happy?"
Gertrud said, coming over.
"Surprise, I found my soulmate,"
Tiana said. "This is Vladimir."
"Are you sure?" said Gertrud.
"You never seemed to care
much about soulmarks before."
"Yes, I'm quite sure," said Tiana.
"Whatever our souls are made of,
his and mine are the same."
"Chess, apparently,"
Gertrud said, snickering
as she pointed to the tattoos.
Tiana had a queen's crown
and Vladimir had a king's crown,
both on the outside edge of
the hand, hers on the left
and his on the right.
"We're well matched,"
said Vladimir. "It's good."
Check ... and soulmate.
* * *
Notes:
Vladimir Kasparov -- He has tawny skin, black eyes, and black hair buzzed short. He has a black K above a crown tattooed on the side of his right hand, just below the pinky. His heritage is Russian-American; he speaks English and Russian. He is 19 years old in 2019. Vladimir belongs to the chess club at his college. He is majoring in Engineering with a minor in Physical Fitness. He is strong and energetic. His soulmark from Tiana is a heartbeat line and 14.08.19 on the inside of his right forearm, and hers from him is the same. Vladimir favors practical menswear in shades of black, gray, and white sometimes accented with red.
Tiana Menchik -- She has tawny-fair skin, brown eyes, and long wavy hair streaked in lighter and darker shades of brown. She has a red Q above a black crown tattooed on the side of her left hand just below the pinky. Her heritage is Russian-American; she speaks English and Russian. She is 19 years old in 2019. Tiana belongs to the chess club at her college, where she is friends with Gertrud Agrest. Tiana is majoring in Math with a minor in Ethics. She is energetic and assertive. Her soulmark from Vladimir is a heartbeat line and 14.08.19 on the inside of her right forearm, and his from her is the same. Tiana wears fashionable women's clothes in shades of brown and white, accented with earth tones like rust and goldenrod.
Gertrud Agrest -- She has pinkish-fair skin, blue eyes, and long wavy hair streaked in lighter and darker shades of blonde. She wears glasses. Her heritage is Swedish-American; she speaks English and Swedish. She is 18 years old in 2019. Gertrud belongs to the chess club at her college, where she is friends with Tiana Menchik. Gertrud is majoring in Literature with a minor in Math. She is quiet and thoughtful. She doesn't have a soulmark yet, and doesn't care. She wears practical women's clothes in soft shades of gray, khaki, or white accented with rose, seaglass, or lavender.
* * *
Phones can be used to play chess or simulate chess clocks.
Travel chess sets come in many styles.
"Whatever Our Souls Are Made Of"
[Wednesday, August 14, 2019]
Tiana Menchik had a soulmark, but
she never paid any attention to it.
It had appeared on the inside of
her right forearm, nothing more than
a squiggle and the numbers 14.08.19.
She was more interested in math and
logic, and most interested in chess.
At college, Tiana majored in Math
and picked up Ethics as a minor
since it made an interesting contrast,
and she played in the chess club.
In her sophomore year, she made
friends with a new freshman who
joined the club, Gertrud Agrest.
The first chess meet of the season
turned into frustration when the building
for the chess club had a breakdown
in its air conditioning and was closed.
"My first chess meet in college, and
it's called on account of weather and
technical failures," Gertrud grumbled.
"Yeah, it's sweltering," said Tiana.
"Let's hit the student union, that
should still have air conditioning."
Inside, the union was pleasantly cool
but filled with hot, cranky students.
Gertrud spotted the chess club
sent over from the rival college.
"Oh look, we aren't the only
chess players here. Too bad
all the boards are still stuck
in the other building."
"Speak for yourself,"
Tiana said with a smirk.
She pulled a travel set
from her backpack. "I'm
going to go challenge them."
"Good idea," said Gertrud.
"Maybe I can use my phone."
Tiana stalked over to where
the rival chess players sat.
Silently she put her board on
the coffee table and set it up.
Just as silently, one of the boys
took a seat opposite her and
then laid claim to the black.
They had no chess clock,
so they had to make do
with a phone app instead.
Still, the game was fast and
furious, evenly matched.
It took Tiana until the last
few seconds to beat him.
Only when they shook hands
over the board did they notice
the sudden glint of gilding.
Their soulmarks were
identical, and settled.
What Tiana had mistaken
for a squiggle was actually
a heartbeat line that matched
the one on his side, and
the numbers were identical.
"Today's date," he said softly,
then laughed. "I hadn't noticed."
"I hadn't either," she said. "My name
is Tiana. It's so nice to meet you."
"I'm Vladimir," he said. "I'm glad
to meet you too. When I heard
about the air conditioning failure, I
thought this would be a wasted trip."
"Definitely worthwhile," Tiana said.
"What has you so happy?"
Gertrud said, coming over.
"Surprise, I found my soulmate,"
Tiana said. "This is Vladimir."
"Are you sure?" said Gertrud.
"You never seemed to care
much about soulmarks before."
"Yes, I'm quite sure," said Tiana.
"Whatever our souls are made of,
his and mine are the same."
"Chess, apparently,"
Gertrud said, snickering
as she pointed to the tattoos.
Tiana had a queen's crown
and Vladimir had a king's crown,
both on the outside edge of
the hand, hers on the left
and his on the right.
"We're well matched,"
said Vladimir. "It's good."
Check ... and soulmate.
* * *
Notes:
Vladimir Kasparov -- He has tawny skin, black eyes, and black hair buzzed short. He has a black K above a crown tattooed on the side of his right hand, just below the pinky. His heritage is Russian-American; he speaks English and Russian. He is 19 years old in 2019. Vladimir belongs to the chess club at his college. He is majoring in Engineering with a minor in Physical Fitness. He is strong and energetic. His soulmark from Tiana is a heartbeat line and 14.08.19 on the inside of his right forearm, and hers from him is the same. Vladimir favors practical menswear in shades of black, gray, and white sometimes accented with red.
Tiana Menchik -- She has tawny-fair skin, brown eyes, and long wavy hair streaked in lighter and darker shades of brown. She has a red Q above a black crown tattooed on the side of her left hand just below the pinky. Her heritage is Russian-American; she speaks English and Russian. She is 19 years old in 2019. Tiana belongs to the chess club at her college, where she is friends with Gertrud Agrest. Tiana is majoring in Math with a minor in Ethics. She is energetic and assertive. Her soulmark from Vladimir is a heartbeat line and 14.08.19 on the inside of her right forearm, and his from her is the same. Tiana wears fashionable women's clothes in shades of brown and white, accented with earth tones like rust and goldenrod.
Gertrud Agrest -- She has pinkish-fair skin, blue eyes, and long wavy hair streaked in lighter and darker shades of blonde. She wears glasses. Her heritage is Swedish-American; she speaks English and Swedish. She is 18 years old in 2019. Gertrud belongs to the chess club at her college, where she is friends with Tiana Menchik. Gertrud is majoring in Literature with a minor in Math. She is quiet and thoughtful. She doesn't have a soulmark yet, and doesn't care. She wears practical women's clothes in soft shades of gray, khaki, or white accented with rose, seaglass, or lavender.
* * *
Phones can be used to play chess or simulate chess clocks.
Travel chess sets come in many styles.