"Read 'em and weep, God!"
Three Aces on the butcher block table.
His stool scrapes the flowered linoleum.
"Damn it!" He winks and we laugh.
His water glass drained,
he picks up an air-cushion-finished Bicycle,
grumbles softly,
puts down the Queen of Hearts.
Fingers streaming, it's on the wood
with the other ladies at my left elbow.
"I'm out, God."
"You always win!" His jaw is set.
We've played past 500, but I tell Him to shuffle
while I fill up our glasses.

__________________
"They think I'm crazy, but I know better. It is not I who am crazy... it is I who am MAD!"