"Running into Life"

[In which poet Barbie Angell finds out that Life plays poker, & quite well, too—enjoy!]


Running into Life


Life smacked me in the face
while I was looking the other way
and he said I should be watching
where I walked.

I should be careful what I say
and the silly games I play
‘cause the ones who never listen
always talk.

I said he didn’t make much sense
and that I’d build myself a fence
so he’d have to the the hell
out of my yard.

He smiled, then he laughed
and he said I was a blast,
then got serious and said,
“Let’s play some cards.”

I thought it was a joke.
I nervously lit a smoke,
then invited him to have
a cup of tea.

But I guess he was no joker
‘cause he dealt a hand of poker
and he said the stakes were going
to be me.

If I win, the world is mine.
There’s no hunger and no crime
and I’ll finally make a living
with my words.

But if I lose then I won’t write
and I’ll never sleep at nite
and whatever my pen bleeds
will be absurd.

When I looked at what he dealt
I couldn’t hide the way I felt
‘cause I figured he could never
beat my straight.

Life didn’t bat an eye
but he sighed a peaceful sigh
and I wondered just how tight he was
with Fate.

Then he said, “Well it’s been fun
but I’m afraid that you are done.”
and I said, “You know it does no good
to bluff.”

He said, “You just don’t understand,
your life cannot be planned.”
And to prove it he laid down
a royal flush.

Then he smiled just a little
and said that every life’s a riddle
and the answer is to follow
where it goes.

Every road has many turns,
it's not where they lead but what you’ve learned,
and when you succeed it’s only you
who knows.


Barbie Angell
© 2009-the present