Chemin De Fer

    Had I been
    a gambling man,
    eschewing the "shoe"
    of chemin de fer ...
    perpetually perched upon that throne
    ... effete kingdom of the dice.

    II
    I am that gambling man ...
    taking free access to many
    a natural habitat, lure
    of the open road,
    contents under a bottle cap,
    the riverine delicacies
    of female flesh. Svelte, like
    the croupier's green vision of cloth,
    tingley-trigger smooth yet addictive
    to the touch.

    III
    Or the pleasures of Ovaltine
    (not necessarily the brand name)
    ... by the handful or cup ...
    upon a summer's day,
    the mind blur of expensive art.

    IV
    Blackjack. Three card stud.
    The poker-faced look of
    many opponents peeling cards
    from the bottom of the deck,
    some ear-marked for success
    with time-honoured stratagems
    (& doctored hands) that leave me
    reeling (or is it nursing) patent-made regrets.

    V
    Something primeval about wanting
    to trade up your fortune at the
    expense of the House. Ambuscades.
    Indecision.

    VI
    Games of chance
    the apt metaphor
    of our daily roulettes.