Treating life like a game of poker

Face emotionless, impassive

The full spectrum of emotions

Hidden, by the need to win

Betting on an outcome unknown

Life’s a gamble but you’re not prone

To hitting the jackpot or scoring a goal

Roll the dice but don’t bet on your own

The flop is open and it’s your turn

You seem bound by check or fold

Trying to read the other players

Just to win you sell your soul

Unheeding of the voice in your head

That’s telling you it’s not worth a play

But you go for it anyway and bet

The turn opens and the game sways

You know you’re in too deep

To bow out gracefully

So instead you go all in

Knowing it’s deadly

A twitch of the lips that you

Make disappear as soon as it came

Unrevealing of your fear

Of losing not just the game

When the river opens

You refuse to even blink

Lest the cards change their faces

For somehow, you may now win

Eyes glance fleetingly

At your fellow players

Unable to decipher

Their stoic demeanours

One by one cards are flipped over

As your heart begins hammering

A smirk forming slowly on your lips

Anticipating their stammering

When they see that you win

Unable to keep it in any longer

He stands up and throws the glass

Frustrated that you got away with

Cards that shouldn’t have passed

And one by one the players rise

Extending their hands mockingly

For it’s plain upon their faces

That you don’t deserve their money

And as you walk away pockets heavy

The mind is lighter still

For you learnt nothing today except

That it takes but sheer luck to win