The Perfect Lure Poem by Barry Reiter

Above the sea, the briny brink between:

......the haves the haves the haves
and the and the and the and the and the and the
....have-nots the have-nots the have-nots,

A have perfected a lure, a Perfect Lure,
that could be used to take from the have-nots.
“Take what? ” you ask, “What can you possibly take from a have-not? ”
But the haves knew the answer.

Down went the lure, the Perfect Lure,
It sparkled and shone, so full of tempting promises...
the have-nots, eyes glittering, yielded up what little they had to the haves,
because, yes, even the have-nots had something,
a little something
that the haves would want.

The haves took and they took
and many of the have-nots became so empty that they cried.
And the haves took more, and more
and many of the have-nots became so empty that they died.

Then one particular have-not awoke,
having lost everything
yet
still felt he had something
something...
and the earth trembled.

Then one particular have awoke, cold and damp,
ready for a day of fishing
but, in all the wetness,
the sea was gone.

The have-not warmly looked down into the water
and saw the shivering have cast the lure up, up, up
but not far enough.

The Perfect Lure only worked
when it was going down.

(dedicated to all those suffering from, or who have been touched by, gambling addiction)