🚀 go-pugleaf

[Don't blame me. William Safire is responsible for this -- NYT 10/24/85, A27]
[Note: there was interspersed text, ala editorial, along with the doggerel 
 below, and Safire admits the 3rd stanza is so far only wichful thinking.]

There was ease in Karpov's manner
  As he stepped into his place
There was pride in Karpov's bearing
  And a smile on Karpov's face
And when, responding to the cheers,
  His opponent he ignored
Grandmasters of the chess world knew
  Twas Karpov at the board.
:
:
"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands,
  And the echo answered "Fraud!"
But a scornful look from Karpov,
  And the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold,
  They watched his muscles cord.
When Russia lost to Fisher,
  There was no Karpov at the board.
:
:
Oh somewhere in the snowy land
  The sun is shining bright,
The band plays Shostakovich,
  Aparitchik hearts are light;
And somewhere children frolic
  And Gobachev's smile is kind,
But there is no joy in Moscow,
  Mighty Karpov has resigned.

-- 

				Craig Werner
				!philabs!aecom!werner
               "Why is it that half the calories is twice the price?"