Climbing Chutes, Falling Ladders

a Saturday morning prose/poem.

‘Snakes and Ladders;’ gouache on cloth; India circa 19th century.

synapses do not follow the rules of 'Risk,' thankfully, but if you'd like to continue warring and battling on each front and lobe to make simple, conscious decisions and fielded nuance...be my guest. but! you'll never be invited to game night....

we play 'Chutes and Ladders' where every chute can work like a ladder, 
if you know how to turn the board around.

what border could you place that would even matter?

only death, 
so be it. 

so be it,
only death.

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Author’s Note:

The original game of Chutes and Ladders was called Snakes and Ladders from the classical lexicon of dice and board games from India. Ludo and Parcheesi are English versions of Gyan Chauper and Pachisi, for example.

Happy New Year. Play more games.*

*that are fun to you.