The COVID lockdown started and a guy called Dave was here

A chap of my acquaintance for many a live-long year

To pass the many empty hours on a game we did agree

And thus, I got the board out and we played ‘Monopoly’

 

Of course, I took the sports car, and it wasn’t cause I’m quick

But simply since I tweaked the rules, I always got first pick

Dave wasn’t very happy and it caused a small dispute

To put him in the proper place, he got the worn-out boot

 

I filtered through the ‘Chance’ pile.  The reason? Cause I could

So I had sole authority on the cards considered good

Dave seemed a bit frustrated, I just said it wasn’t barred

But only I had access to the ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card

 

I made a second ‘Chance’ pile, to be used by only Dave

My way of keeping him in line, to ensure he would behave

The stack contained no nice cards, because I had all of these

So almost all of Dave’s pile was the fines and penalties

 

I started every game we played with a range of paper money

Dave of course got nothing and he didn’t think this funny

I always got the first roll, with 2 dice in my command

And I could change the outcome if unhappy where I land

 

I moved my token forward to each vacant property

My mound of ready moola meant it soon belonged to me

I gave myself an extra roll if I should get a double

And bought another avenue.  When rich it is no trouble

 

I only passed one die to Dave.  It seemed wrong to give him more

I played to my advantage in this mini board-game war

Of course, the die was weighted, so almost every time he threw

The scores he got was more often just a one, or maybe 2

 

If landing on an empty sometimes we would clash

He said that he would buy it, if he only had the cash

I pointed out that he was poor and as an extra guarantee 

The rules, as is, prevented him from owning property

 

The first 200 games we played I whooped him pretty good

I managed to buy everything in every neighbourhood

Dave gave me indications that I was somehow being cruel

I didn’t have much sympathy and explained ‘That’s just the rules’

 

We continued with the pastime, with all the laws the same

What fool would change the system if you always win the game?

Dave struggled to continue and he said it wasn’t fun

So what? I thought, I’m struggling too, TO SPEND THE CASH I’VE WON!!!

 

Now things got animated, our friendship hanging by a thread

But to stop him getting more irate and to calm him down I said

I'd offered him an equal ‘Chance’ if he thought the rules too hard

What are the odds a black man picked the ‘Go to Jail’ card?

 

I couldn’t see the problem or why Dave got so upset

The rules just made it easy for me to profit from his debt 

I said I’d make it fairer, that I’d equal up the game

He couldn’t get all snarky if the rules were both the same

 

Of course, I kept my winnings and Chance cards that were good

His ownership restricted to the cheaper neighbourhoods

I didn’t need to pay much rent, since that bank was run by me

And that made it oh so simple to buy up all the property

 

300 times I won the game but I view it just as chance

Funny how the rules I made always helped me to advance

As I flaunted all my winnings and my extensive properties

Dave’s demeanour was aggressive and then he said to me

 

200 times you beat me, and then a hundred more

You paid me not a penny, yet you mocked me cause I’m poor

You banned me owning houses and I paid excessive rent

And bragged about your earnings which was more than could be spent

 

You changed the rules to torment me, and some others you ignored

You hampered me with weighted dice as you sped around the board

I proved to you it was unfair and I quite justly made my case

You claimed you couldn’t see it and you ‘Put me in my place’

 

The only chances that I had were designed to make me fail

And much more than would be normal I was sent direct to jail

You claimed to make it better but kept the first-class land

You kept 2 dice, the sports car and all the money in your hand

 

I don’t want to be aggressive; I just want to feel I’m free

I want to know the games not rigged, win or lose is down to me

I can forgive your past transgressions, hate is not our destiny

It is not revenge that I’m wanting - I just want equality 

 

Inspired by Kimberly Jones