Eight Ball

“Hustler” by LeRoy Neiman

 

shatter the triangle
crack the tight rack
launching resinous orbs
into pockets and rails
choose the high or the low
convert cue for finesse
stroke ballistic geometry
ordinal shot-making
stealth combinations
sweet carom and kiss
sink the eight in its time
take the money

 

 

From my book Ephemera

Craps

“Shooting Dice” by Aleksandr Trachishin

 

the desperate play
rolling bones in back alleys
begging for a fade
old bricks can trip up the odds
old dreams come up snake eyes

 

 

(originally posted January 2015)

Monaco

“Grand Prix de Monaco” by Leroy Neiman

land of one house

large with smallness

a jewel with a lease

on its own special sun

Riviera casinos lure

luxury into its operas

of cult aristocracy

sexy with speed

through the hairpin

chicanes of grand prix

a place heartbeats

and drums of ambition

can’t help but accelerate

every square inch

plush and lavish with

ambient fairy tale qualities

chased of all shadows

and signs of the humble

realities looming

beyond its exquisite

escapist demesne

All In

Photo Illustration from imgarcade.com

gambling is
clearly a game
for the head
not the heart
pushing chips
without carefully
reckoning odds
is as foolish when
one plays for love
as it is when one
plays for money

Cardiothoracic

“Surgery”
Painting by Benfo
From artolive.nl

beating heart
held in hand
life and death
peace and pain
in surrender
to the touch
to the staunch
and the skills
of a surgeon

trust given
submission
dire features
of fear
mortal peril
manumission
of spirit
enslaved
by disease

a last chance
feeble odds
all the chips
on the inside
double zero
appeals to
that sense of
a desperate
irony

Craps

“Boys Shooting Craps”
Photo by Lewis Hine
From fineartamerica.com

the desperate play
rolling bones in back alleys
begging for a fade
old bricks can trip up the odds
old dreams come up snake eyes

Eight Ball

“The Hustler”
Painting by LeRoy Neiman
From pool.bz

shatter the triangle
crack the tight rack
launching resinous orbs
into pockets and rails
choose the high or the low
convert cue for finesse
stroke ballistic geometry
ordinal shot-making
stealth combinations
sweet carom and kiss
sink the eight in its time
take the money

Double Down

“Gambling Scene at an Inn”
Painting by David Teniers the Younger
From kipar.org

step right up my good friends
I’m the dealer of days
take a chance on tomorrow
bet your dreams buy your plays

if you win I’ll assure
you the finest estate
if you lose I will choose
what will hang as your fate

but I’d give you one chance
double down for my stake
of all dreams from all men
lost to gambling’s mistake

if you win they’re all yours
every whole every part
if you lose then I’ll take
all the hope in your heart

Child Labor

Joss Custom Made Pool Cue
Photo from billiardsshowroom.com

Joss custom cue
pockets of cash and bravado
well-paid misspent youth

Gambling

“Figures Gambling in a Tavern”
Painting by David Teniers the Younger
From wikimedia.org

fortune frowns sternly
upon feverish fingers
clawing after it