Rainy days, drunken nights, sleight of hand, ripple and snap.
I promise not to look too hard at the chili oil smudges memorized
over diamond backs, a folded edge on the four of spades,
your careless splay as you lean to shift my drink from the table's edge.
//
House rules and home brews, penny hands and the long list of
unpaid debts that stretches like a CVS receipt over our history.
May we play forever, may we never tire of the game,
may we never be caught evening the odds.
//
The cards are tacky, smell of mildew. Everything here does, if it waits
long enough on a shelf, plucked up and shuffled
only once in a blue moon. Oh, reliever of boredom, starter
of fights, be lucky for me tonight.
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A telegram to Little Me
I acquired a magical souvenir; it was a realisation. By taking an impulsive trip to Thailand, I awarded myself the chance to have it. You are our own gift shop. You choose the opening times, you choose the stock. They are the very nature of wisdom, realisations. One could say we collect them and form a magnificent portfolio entitled Experience. And that's why we do the majority of things we do. But travelling is the act most generous in the offering of experience, the gift shop with the best stock. We go on the hunt for experiences, daring ourselves to be stimulated in new ways, by new flavours. To sweat, swim or shiver in the waters of new challenges. To hear new sounds, learn novel outlooks, and relish as hinges creak with unknown doors opening in our hearts and minds. This realisation and the flourishing effect it had upon me made Thailand my best trip yet. All this realisation consisted of was merely a stripped back epiphany of why we do these things. See new places, take new risks, seek refreshing distractions from all that we're tired of being familiar with.
By Konrad Krampabout 11 hours ago in Wander
Comments (23)
“Chili oil smudges,” “like a CVS receipt”, such vivid specifics! Being a card player, I related to the musty atmosphere you created and the prayer for luck; it made me want to know more about the poem’s subject! Well written.
This was fantastic! I almost shot water through my nose laughing about the CVS receipt :) Congrats on an overdue top story!
Congratulations on this Top Story! This was one of the most beautiful poems about home that I have ever read.
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
So good! Loved the particular of the memorized stains!
I love this - "reliever of boredom, starter of fights." This is such a beautiful poem, full of texture. Congratulations on Top Story!!
This is great! Congrats on the TS.
Great stuff. The card game Uno is one of our favourites. Our pack is battered beyond belief.
Well done!🥰
Dear Ms. Suzie Kay - Although I've followed you, forever, including your exchanges with our Naomi Gold (I've missed her so much) I haven't intruded since I'm so far out of the popular Gen's interests. I don't do contests/rewards but always read others' presentations. But after reading your sentiments on our Village StepMoms' "Mugly" I've been scrolling through your marvelous presentations and *I've subscribed with pleasure. btw; just "Shuffled" out a 'Poker' story too; we all have them. Jay, Jay Kantor, Chatsworth, California 'Senior' Vocal Author - Vocal Village Community -
“The cards are tacky, smell of mildew. Everything here does, if it waits long enough on a shelf, plucked up and shuffled only once in a blue moon. Oh, reliever of boredom“ I relate to these lines so much!
Well, that was pretty clever. I loved the flow and the overall subject matter. "I promise not to look too hard at the chili oil smudges memorized over diamond backs, a folded edge on the four of spades," Great details!!!
This is so incredibly well-written. Big fan of the CVS receipt line. Amazing use of language
One word: Superb!
Great job really enjoyed this poem it brought back memories of my aunts and uncles penny poker games
I love it. Your writing feels so homey to me. I can relate.
Yes!l this brings back my memories of games on family vacations ❤️
Every word is doing his fair share of lifting here and then some 😁 You paint a gloriously real, tactile, smellable picture.
Wow, Suze, I absolutely love this. The smudges, the tackiness, blue moons, be lucky for me tonight, the mildew... I felt like I was right there at the table with you!
This awoke so many of my childhood memories. :) What a delightful read
I get so excited when I see you've released another poem. The smudges and folded edges are so accurate but I've never promised not to look too had at them haha. That last sentence was such a good finish to another high quality poem
Oh this was such a wonderful ode! I loved it!
The CVS reference has me rolling!! 😂 Love where this takes me, Suze. Well done!!