JOKER'S RHAPSODY

09 ?? 01

The red flecks of Hoyle
froze her vision in the air
where he thawed it with his own

The visitors
shuffle in out and around
like cards in a deck

Trios are odd
Double-dates occur

Sometimes a wild card
waves through a window
augments a group
and a conversation

But the groups stay small
for the most part

Pairs are predominant
all look different
not enough though
to elude the parallel
of a uniform identity

Pairs shuffle in and out
inevitably being split
maybe being brought together
maybe many times

Members of a pair
are visible together
notable alone

She was here before
many times a visitor
many times alone

Now she shares a corner
with this casual dealer
young faithful fair
like an upright jack of hearts

He turns no apparent tricks
merely prodding cards with his fingertips
as his palms would treat coins
those compact disciples of chance

But the coins stay the same
for the most part

He employs a modern deck
where the upright
and the upside-down
bleed into co-existence

One jack of hearts
a pair of visitors

The red flecks of Hoyle
froze her vision in the air
where he thawed it with his own

She looks around
and thinks he shuffles people

Author's Note

My writing style may have changed, but my mood is no different tonight than it was when I wrote this many moons ago...

Reviews

[Angi]

As I read this, a vague casino scene emerged. People watching, seeing the lonely, the pairs who would rather be with anyone else. The slick dealers, with slight of hand tricks. ...and the innocent girls, prey to the oily men. All with the jingle~jangle of the machines in the background. Loved the images this brought to me. I know I must be way off in this interpretation. Ha! Angi~

[kublakhan27]

Haha no need to worry my friend, I like that interpretation very much and even though I wrote it in a coffee shop, there are definitely connections to a casino environment...thank you Angi :)

[Angi]

Steve, I have to get over being afraid to say something on a piece I am not sure I understand. I am sure you understand when I say that. Thanks.

[kublakhan27]

I totally understand :) I've never been great at interpreting pieces - even by close friends - so it often comes down to whether I relate to something, which I usually do when it comes to the work of friends...I know how that fear feels.

[rhythm&blues]

Your writing is full of emotion but very obscure in nature, I think I could read this a few times and come away with a new insight each and every time.

[kublakhan27]

Thank you r&b...I'm glad to know I can produce different emotions with one piece :)

[Taylor H.]

I agree with girl friday this is a very good poem with a very interesting style :)

[kublakhan27]

Thank you Taylor :)

[Taylor H.]

No problem :)

[Pete Langley]

The sardoniscism (like my new word, Steve?) of the deck, eh? Love it, mate. P.

[kublakhan27]

Haha I love that word...thank you my friend.

[B-poet]

This is creatively unique and well endowed to dictate a true perspective coming from a Joker's Rhapsody. Nice work. :)

[kublakhan27]

Many thanks :)

[Felicity's Eve]

Wow. So haunting and mysterious. It really drew me in and is so well-written and perfectly paced. This is going in my library! :)

100/100

[kublakhan27]

Thanks so much Nora :)

[Felicity's Eve]

:)

[s y e]

Woooo, I loved this! This is so you and I loved it, it may have been written 'many moons' ago - which would make you a vampire, ha, kidding - But I loved it. It was great! It is emotional and full of vivid images. Just... Wow. I'm speechless.

~ Noodle.

[kublakhan27]

Haha well I do have the sleeping patterns of a vampire ;P I guess you've read enough of me now to know my voice past and present haha I'm very glad you liked it, thank you Sye :)

[s y e]

:-O Ooooo, a vampire! I like it, ha!

My pleasure.

[kublakhan27]

Haha if I start sparkling I'll be worried o_o

[s y e]

Bahaha! xD

[kublakhan27]

:D

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Oh, how I love your style... Honestly, though this was written a while back, it is still so completely YOU in every way. You are cryptic, tangible, emotional and full of such great imagery that I'm drawn in every time. I go back over some of the stuff I've written only a couple years ago and feel like it needs to be burned at the stake for being so trite and terrible...haha

[kublakhan27]

Haha don't worry, I cringe at some of my earliest stuff...I used to keep journals when I was younger too and I actually DID put those through a shredder, and I don't regret it one bit :) Honestly though, you truly humble me with your praise...my mood has been kind of dicey as of late but your review brought a smile to my face...thank you as always my friend :)