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Open Poetry #7
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John Yaws
Senior Member
since 1999-10-09
Posts 860
Texas

0 posted 2000-05-10 03:58 PM


A lady of the evening,
Met a shifty gambling man.
They made their plans for leaving
When he asked her for her hand.

They were cast off by society…
Both thought it far too late-
To know true love and romance…
Could this be some whim of fate?

They talked of days of long ago-
Compared their whims and dreams.
And laughed at all the common ground
And places that they’d seen…

He said, “We’ll leave tomorrow-
But tonight I’ll win our stake”.
Not knowing that he’d told a lie…
By dawn her heart he’d break.

It seemed that he could do no wrong.
He’d won near every hand.
No matter which man dealt the cards…
The game he did command.

His dreams grew near with every pot
And just before the dawn-
He felt that he had won enough…
‘Twas time to move along.

He pushed back from the table-
And he said, “I’m cashing in”.
A player said, “Oh, no, you’re not”!
While glaring hate at him.

He said, “I think you’re cheating”!
He was drawing as he spoke…
Two men lay dead upon the floor,
Beneath the powder smoke.

They found her in an alley-
For her heart had broke to hear…
Her dreams of love snatched from her
When she thought they were so near…

A hole in her left temple
From the pistol in her hand…
Too tired to go living-
So she chose to join her man.  

They tell me if you go at night
Down by the river side.
The lady walks the river bank
She is the gambler’s bride.

No place in life for loser’s-
They say it’s quite a sight,
The two of them together..
As they meet there every night.



© Copyright 2000 John R. Yaws - All Rights Reserved
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
1 posted 2000-05-10 04:01 PM


I could picture every draw of card, every bluff of the eyelid...and smell the smoke of the pistol...

well done, GS!

Kellsue
Member
since 2000-05-06
Posts 210
Waukesha, WI USA
2 posted 2000-05-10 10:00 PM


I could picture everything as I read it.  Very very good poem!!!!

~Kelly


 Reflect upon your present blessings-of which every man has many-not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. ~Charles Dickens

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. ~Winston Churchill


Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley
3 posted 2000-05-10 10:02 PM


Excellent sir! (BTW..congratulations on being on the 'spotlight' at Spyder Empire's Ezine this month!!! )
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA
4 posted 2000-05-10 10:30 PM


GOOD TO SEE YOU AS ALWAYS, 'SLINGER.
Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648

5 posted 2000-05-11 11:32 AM


This one gave me the chills. Very well told tale, John!

Denise

JamesMichael
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
6 posted 2000-05-11 03:32 PM


Very interesting to read and the death of the lady of the evening touched my heart..I have felt these same feelings in a relationship...so sad that her dreams of love were lost...   James
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