By Douglas J. Lanzo
Copyright 2020

First published in Academy of the Heart and Mind, April 26, 2021

Dedicated to Tanitoluwa (Tani) Adewumi

Your Christian family fled Nigeria to save their lives,
Escaping hateful terrorists wielding machetes and knives,
You sought asylum in New York City as a persecuted refugee,
Living in a homeless shelter, but grateful to be safe and free;

Learning chess on a cold floor without table or chair,
Never griping that the playing field was stacked or unfair,
Mastering chess puzzles and exuding sheer love of the game,
An eight-year old, achieving unsought stardom and fame;

Vanquishing players rated hundreds of points higher,
You beat seasoned champions, lighting the tour on fire,
Crowned winner of New York’s championship category,
Undefeated, you won gold, giving voice to your story,

That of a destitute boy without means to play chess,
Who overcame all odds to achieve stunning success
Appearing on talk shows and meeting a former President,
Transformed from bullied kid to famous Big Apple resident;

Your family stunned the world, eschewing heartfelt donations,
Retaining not a cent despite multiple job obligations,
Instead tithing ten percent, the rest seeding a foundation,
To offer new African immigrants hope and salvation.