The Tail of a Chess Player

When the chess board’s gray on gray
And the pieces fade away
And the sky is night and the night is day
And the kids are refusing to play,
Numbers turn into words;
Queen to d 4 is heard
And the gasp--what occurred?--
Sweetly furred, ‘twas the cat
For she’s gray as the stormcloud
And faster than mouse
At chess-pass. Then the child
Sets the board up with smiles
And says, “Hold her Mom now
While we play.”