NEEDLING

Went to Vegas
sat at the roulette table
put my faith on red
every time
that was my game plan.

Tripled my money
started out with a twenty
Humphrey I thought I was
for a real short minute
in a movie I though I was
for an even shorter moment
some sort of secret spy
playing it cool
playing the chump
you know
lying low waiting for the villain
to show up all a brazing
showing off his stuff
with his wad of cash.

Basically
I was trying to stay inconspicuous
not making a nuisance of myself
being a magnet I thought I was
for an even shorter fraction
of an instant.

All the sudden my twenty
and my five crumpled ones
became like a big fat roll
of century folds
like a gangster boss I was
or thought so anyway
for such a short time
I cannot estimate or calculate
the seconds concerned
in human terms …
I became like a big fat rolling pig
in an Armani suit
instead of my red E.T. sweatshirt
I’ve been wearing just about everyday
for the last seven years.

Playing the red
at the roulette table
that was my game plan
hitting the big times
five to ten bucks per spin
the little white ball spinning
spinning and spinning some more
“No more bets”
said the croupier
passing her hand over the velvet table
to make her point clear to all participants
and she took all my chips
as the little white ball
chose a black slot
instead of a red one
for its few second of rest from spinning so much.