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Fox and Geese

I came home from my political science class to find
my brothers arguing over who should rule Europe. 
Voices emphatic, they let the dice resolve their
conflict, marching game pieces across an
oversimplified map of the world. 

Another time they shuffled a full deck of war, 
nothing really at risk except pride. 
From Backgammon to Othello to Chess, 
we pulled these relics out of history
when it rained or the electricity went out
or when we had to resolve a battle of minds. 

But none of them would play Fox and Geese
with me, whether they were the starving fox
or the geese, herded and hiding. 
They didn’t realize that the fox had
the power to fight or refrain. 
They didn’t realize the geese would win, 
if they moved slowly and in unison. 
Instead, they liked the familiar battleground
of states waging war against the dice, while
I waged wars they couldn’t imagine.

About the Author

Deborah Rocheleau is a sophomore at Wright State University. She is an English major, Chinese minor and all around language fanatic, and she divides her time between reading, writing and hanging with friends. Her work has been published by the Tin House Open Bar, Nexus, 100 Word Story, Flights and the Boston Literary Magazine, among others.