.
War. Famine.
Pestilence. Death.
Enjoy a game of poker.
It relieves the boredom.
They only have one Big project
booked into the work diary.
The horses are stabled,
so why not have down time?
The day-to-day business
takes care of itself.
Ably supervised by the humans
in a race to the Big day.

The stillness is penetrated by sound.
Death cleaning his teeth
with his reaping scythe or
Death sharpening his reaping scythe
on his teeth.
Either way, it shattered vertebrae.
His nerves were getting twitchy.
Three Kings, the Jack and Queen of Clubs.
Royals were dropping like flies.
It was going to be a busy night.
He met Wars eyes and her bet,
(****! She looks beautiful sweating),
paid an advance and called.
Uncharacteristically delicate,
he lay down his souls.
Jack and Queen of Clubs.
Kings of Diamonds, Spades and Hearts.

War smiled sweetly.
Her dirk-like eyelashes
fluttering an assassins dance.
Letting her cards fall soft,
triumphant with winners ecstasy,
she declares her hand...




… “SNAP!” she says.




© Pagan Paul (14/03/17)

Tonight we're having a big feast
in the great city of sin
I'm about to unleash the beast
Let this party for players begin

The soft, green cloth beneath my fingers
The shiny deck of cards
The joy when the dealer bust still lingers
Wont you please send my regards

The tingling inside when the Ace says hello
The kick when the King joins in
The Queen is also welcome to the show
And the Jack can bring his twin

Race doesn't matter at this gathering
Both blacks and reds look swell
When diamonds and spades are scattering
You can invite hearts and clubs aswell

The bets are getting higher and higher
My wallet is getting thin
I hardly ever get what I desire
Cause the house will always win

At first I thought I had control
But suddenly I was unstable
I had lost my entire bank roll
At the end of the Black Jack table

---

I am a terrible poker player
           I just don't know
                          when to fold.

And that reminds me of you.
           How I let you treat me.
           How I keep myself from              
                          winning.

All the signs are there
          all the signs of a ****** hand.

But I just can't seem to let go.
           I just can't seem to see it
                             as it is.

So I hold on,
            waiting for
            the right card to show.
                              But it never will.

I'm not right for you.
But the fantasy
           of who you want me to be
                     keeps you coming back for  
                               more.

I am not that girl.
           I am something else.
                      Something worth holding on to.

You hold on
             thinking I'm your best
                        chance.


It's my time to fold.

---
a.d.
---

Your words are rich but your silence is golden
I've lost all faith in what humanity has spoken
You don't know this, but I was chosen
To speak out against society
and it's twisted mentality
Says one thing but means another
Karma is coming, but you'll never see her
She'll smother you with your past mistakes
Do whatever it takes to pay back the heartache
That you caused and all the hurt you dished out
Don't you see it now? There's no doubt,
You're in her sights now
She's aimed at your heart, tearing apart the pain
You claimed to have no control over
Karma's here, can't you see her?
She don't bluff, this ain't Tuesday night poker
Fold this hand, it's weighing heavy on your shoulders
Exposure to the light got you moving slower and slower
It's over, she's beat you down
Might as well leave the table,
Karma don't play around

you are dealt with cards
pocket aces!
***** and a heart
your mind celebrated
you have been gambling for so long
cards as such don’t come so often
a sure win you say,
maybe its my lucky day!

you raise a bet, certain you’d take the ***
flop was layed, two clubs and a heart
you check, one player bet and the other calls
now’s the turn, a diamond ace!

a semi-backdoor!
you thought so you go all in
here comes the river, another club
you confidently show your cards
but you take no notice
there are three clubs
in the community cards

you have three of a kind
but the other has a flush.

you lost the ***
now out of the game
bad beat commentators say
you answer
i’d be smarter the next tournament i’d play.

Sitting at the table
Cards have all been dealt
The direction of my future
Lies before me on the felt

I'll play the cards before me
I have to go all in
If I do not take the gamble
I guess I'll never win

I'm a dollar short of holding
I'll ride the highs and lows
I'm a dollar short of folding
I guess that's the way it goes
I'm a dollar short of holding
I'll ride the highs and lows
I'm a dollar short of folding
I guess that's the way it goes

The cards can tell your future
These cards tell mine so well
A dollar short of holding
It's my fear I smell

Do I bluff and risk my losing?
Do I fold and walk away?
The lord, he hates a coward
*******, I'm gonna play

I'm a dollar short of holding
I've got to go all  in
I'm a dollar short of folding
With not gamble, I don't win
I'm a dollar short of holding
It's up to me, just how I play
I'm a dollar short of folding
To live to see another day

I was celebrating as normal I'm not sure why besides oh yeah duh I'm the most awesome writer in the history of this site .
The bar was empty as usual the old crowd had been abducted by aliens and replaced by children whom seemed to believe I truly gave a **** that there five day relationship had just fallen apart yeah live on your own bust your *** to exist then tell me how ******* hard life is okay kiddies.

It came through the wire a message that read.
Dear Gonzo I just read your recent co write and wow was I impressed
It's so great to see established writers giving new writers like yourself a break.

It appears this juvenile hamster had smoked a little to many bath salts today for they had no clue as who my ego fed **** was how dare they.
Yes kids isn't it a shame when all the kick *** drugs were discovered by your grandparents ?

Look don't reinvent the wheel if it gets you ****** up stick with the **** that hopefully doesn't make you trip ***** and lock yourself in a closet with a butcher knife .
That's why I stick with the mild stuff like herion.

I was just about to write this writer wanna be a long and thoughtful response telling them in a mature way to go **** themselves when yet another message came in .

Hey Gonzo loved your co write I always wanted to co write with a true writer any chance you could ask Helen if she would write one with me ?

Dear lord man these kids were higher than Justin bieber's  over inflated ego yeah he's going to put out a new album yeah you been warned .
.
Another message came in in one after the other it was like I was driving a ******* ice cream truck on a hot summer day every bed wetter and ****** picker running down behind me with there snotty little dollars clutched in hand didn't these children know I hate kids .

Well all except for barley legal hot ***** with low self esteem cause I truly love helping misguided ****** yeah I know I'm such a thoughtful ******* aren't I?

I couldn't take it I slammed the laptop shut and turned up the jukebox as I poured myself a stiff drink .
At least here at the bar I could escape this insanity .
But the nightmare was far from over .

As I herd the squeal of airbrakes as a school bus came to a stop outside the bar ****** I was being invaded **** why hadn't I infested in those rabid coyotes Lilly Mae  had tried to sell me .

The little ***** hit the door like invaders across are unguarded boarders yeah do you know how many millions of those ******* Canadians slip through every day .
Yeah if only we had snipers then we never would had to listen to Nickleback.

They jumped on the pool table laughed played and really started to **** my buzz as they played there modern crap they called music .
It was like being ***** by a ****** clown and the rest of his fifty buddies that could fit in one car I swear those  *******  can pack a car better than any Mexican I've ever known and for my fellow Latino friends out there I truly meant no disrespect please don't stab me or bounce up and down on my skull with your low rider  .


Hey Gonzo the leader of this dwarf cult spoke up we want a co write with you.
Um like hell I will Frodo just take your sawed off *** and return back to the shire  okay.

**** that stupid lord of the rings joke dork don't you know harry potter is the in thing *******.
The little man had said a mouthful there and being he was a Harry Potter fan I could tell he was probably used to having his mouth full of assorted things like his nerd friends magic staff .

Look sparky or ******* or whatever the hell you name is note to anyone if you don't have *******  I probably wont care what your name is .

I truly hate kids okay and there's nothing in this world that would make me ever write anything with you so just carry your *** cause I'm sure you are missing out on some kickass time to sulk in your room that is more furnished than my entire house and post your bleeding heart sonnet all over your ex girlfriends face book wall alright.


Okay the little hamster replied .
You know Gonzo I'm real sorry you feel that way cause I was going to overlook the fact that you offered me and my friends ***** and tried to get my underage sister to flash her ******* .

It's a real shame I hate to see such a talented co writer go to waste sitting in prison but you don't want to co write with us so I fully understand .

I couldn't believe this little **** was going to blackmail me it almost brought a tear to my eye how demented he truly was .
Reminds me of myself at that age when I blackmailed my sitter into showing me her ******* ahh the preciouses memories .    

I weighed my options co write masterworks of true demented genius or play basketball with guys who had been in so long that they let me win cause I was a hot ***** .

Hmm I had to ponder that one cause I never was very good at basketball duh I'm white and slightly bad humored with racist jokes that if do offend get over yourself it's called a ******* joke okay.


Okay sparky you got yourself a cowriter but can I ask one thing first?
Sure Gonzo shoot.
Well being that I was going to be falsely accused of seeing your sisters ******* maybe I could actually see them?


I don't have a sister you perve I just said that to trap you into co writing for us and finish this stupid *** write cause it's drinking time and I got places to be people.


Until next time hamsters stay crazy Gonzo.