The Joker Gets Called

By Cliff Lake

 

The Joker Gets Called

 

The Joker had been called, he had to double down.

Distractions would no longer serve, his shills had to leave town.

The Joker was seen to sweat, his debt he could not postpone,

No more credit could he get, the sharks no longer loan.

 

The Joker summoned all his nerve, his patter made it clear,

He would get what he deserved; things were just as they appeared.

The Joker stayed just to delay inevitable exposure,

But the crowd would not be cowed and now they wanted closure.

 

The Joker had spent all his chips, he was forced to roll the dice,

His Jacks were folding one by one, he’d gotten them cut price.

His Queen no longer in his hand, she was somewhere in the deck,

He would have to take a stand, and try to save his neck.

 

Wheel spins round, he’s no longer crowned, his number is up.

The house of cards is falling hard, he has to drink this cup.

He laid his bet, thought he would get head seat at the table.

But the pit boss knew that he was through and that his cash flow was unstable.

 

The Joker had rigged the game and his sleeves had been full of cards.

But the cops came, they had his name, and he was going to fall hard.

His favors blown, a Joker alone, his name is in the book.

He’d tried to slide but took the ride like any dirty cheap crook.

 

Cliff Lake 4/6/2023

Copyright © Clifford Lake 2023

Location: Manhattan, New York, NY, USA

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