GAMBLING
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,336
I really don't like this poem nor the space where my head is when I write such things but wasting words is a crime. A very minor crime to be sure, but waste not want not. Or some other lame excuse, haha. OK, here it is...
GAMBLING
Lay your bet down on the archive of our
Endless restless interactions of unsettled loans
But don’t risk too much money on the hopes
That I’ll be back to collect the chips that fall.
On the track the bleeding horses fall in piles
Legs breaking over beer stained walls that seep
Tears on tickets wasted while up in the dining room
The laughter still echoes off steel girders on high.
“Beans and tortillas, what the fuck more do you want?”
Is how they would say it today but although
Beans and tortillas don’t add up they way the used to, still
You still tell me there will be more and more and more.
“Have we reached the end?” she asked while waiting patiently
For the numbers to be sorted and the tiles to be counted
And placed gently in their little slots while he inked in the
Boxes that eventually added up to millions of lost little nothings.
“No, there is no end to this fun,” he said with a grimace
Wrenched into a smile that broke 50 times over the distant
Horizon of foaming waves while layers of black sand
Clung to their soles and wedged between thick skin and nails.
In the alley, the dice were thrown hard upon the wall,
With the hopes that they would float rather than
Fall back down into drain holes and turn black
Or crack on the hard pavement of unrequited wishes.
GAMBLING
Lay your bet down on the archive of our
Endless restless interactions of unsettled loans
But don’t risk too much money on the hopes
That I’ll be back to collect the chips that fall.
On the track the bleeding horses fall in piles
Legs breaking over beer stained walls that seep
Tears on tickets wasted while up in the dining room
The laughter still echoes off steel girders on high.
“Beans and tortillas, what the fuck more do you want?”
Is how they would say it today but although
Beans and tortillas don’t add up they way the used to, still
You still tell me there will be more and more and more.
“Have we reached the end?” she asked while waiting patiently
For the numbers to be sorted and the tiles to be counted
And placed gently in their little slots while he inked in the
Boxes that eventually added up to millions of lost little nothings.
“No, there is no end to this fun,” he said with a grimace
Wrenched into a smile that broke 50 times over the distant
Horizon of foaming waves while layers of black sand
Clung to their soles and wedged between thick skin and nails.
In the alley, the dice were thrown hard upon the wall,
With the hopes that they would float rather than
Fall back down into drain holes and turn black
Or crack on the hard pavement of unrequited wishes.
"Pretty cookies, heart squares all around, yeah!"
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
"Try to not spook the horse."
-Neil Young
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Godfather.
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Can I get by, till the next payday loan.
What meals to make that will stretch,
That are cheap.
Wheels are spinning without a peep.
Pushing rewind, pause,play.
Too busy thinking
Of the machine that will pay.
I don't want a little, I need a big win.
To get me out of the shit hole I'm in.
Not thinking once, that all I have spent,
Could of given me freedom,
From this shit life I live.
I tell myself,It's my only out,
Caged like an animal,
Day in and day out
I'm too broke to buy presents,
Too broke to buy clothes.
Too broke to have lunch
With those that I love.
Two weeks have past,
The checks here at last.
Hit the ground running,
To the casino,And fast!
Do I play the progressive,
At three bucks a pop.
There's five million dollars
flashing on top.
Or do I play nickles,
And hope for some luck,
At scoring a big win.
Too play three bucks a pop.
I now have 100,200 three.
But I can't walk away,
It's much more that I need.
Triple,Triple, Triple!
Please,Please,Please!
Don't bleed me dry,
I tell the machine.
A gasp and a sigh,
I take out my card.
60 more dollars,I have to think hard.
Do I stick with the nickles,
Or just press my luck.
Not thinking of millions,
Just breaking even.
,
I won a dollar on Super Lotto last week and it only cost me a dollar to play. Breaking even!
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"