Chess in Concert - Endgame #3

Anatoly:
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.

Svetlana:
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.

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

Florence:
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.

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

Florence, Svetlana & Soloists:
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?

Anatoly:
And so you're
Letting me know--

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

Anatoly:
How you've hated
My success!

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

Anatoly:
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!

Florence, Svetlana & Soloists:
Nothing you have said
Is revelation--
Take my blues as red.
My consolation--
Finding out that
I'm my only
Obligation.

Anatoly:
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?

The Arbiter: [Spoken]
Anatoly Sergievesky is the winner, and remains world
champion.

[Crowd applauds]

Florence: [Spoken]
So, you've done it. You're still the champion.

Anatoly: [Spoken]
I had to win to be free.

Florence: [Spoken]
Free for what?

Anatoly: [Spoken]
Free to help your father-- if I go back. Free to play chess--
it's the only thing I can stay true to.