House Always Wins Poem by Kewayne Wadley

I became a gambler
searching for love in a suite of spades.
your laugh cascaded like chips
regardless of denomination.
the wagers started small then increased.
eventually the risk didn't matter.
before I started to lose.
I pulled the lever.
cherries, diamonds, and bars.
Nothing fell into place.
all bets down.
red or black. Even or odd.
I was yours for the taking.
Your lips imprinted on every chip
it didn't matter the game.
I wasn't afraid to raise the stakes.
marginal bets that grew
larger and larger.
I lost.
drowning in the thrill.
I spun around and around on the roulette wheel.
my heart knocking against the wood.
before pulling the lever, I knew the risks.
wrapped in smoke and lights.
Slowly those spades turned into
Clubs, diamonds, and hearts
Your laugh slipping right through my fingers.
no matter how much I retained.
Regardless of the wager.
the house won.