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Nancy Imelda Schafer
"The Green Of The Table Underneath...
Life According To Poker"
I believe life is a poker game.
It has a beginning, middle and end.
We are all given 100 chips at birth.
We are told,
Bet them wisely,
And count them often.
I believe we should spread our chips out on the table.
No neat little stacks.
Counting them too often,
Is far worse than not counting them at all.
Gather them from time to time into stacks.
Count..
Regroup..
And knock over the pile,
As not to see the green table beneath them.
The game of poker has many variations.
It can be played with several people at once,
Or just two.
In any case...
One must never loose sight,
That it is nonetheless...a game.
Poker.
Life.
Poker is a game of skill and luck,
As in life.
To play poker well,
You must read your opponents body language.
Is he bluffing?
How much will I spend to see what he's got?
Do I stay and see?
Or drop out?
Do I take a chance in life?
Take the risk..
Go for it?
Or play it safe, and back down?
There are some,
Who are fools.
A few hands,
And they are broke.
They play hard.
Drugs.
Alcohol.
Living in excess,
Far beyond their chips,
Consumes quickly our allotment.
Life in the fast lane.
Dead at 30.
Dead at 20.
Sad.
I was almost among them.
There are some who are afraid to play.
Their chips are in neat rows.
Stacked like soldiers.
They check.
They pass.
They drop out.
Too withdrawn and unsure to bet a chip.
So apprehensive to take a chance.
Too afraid to give, to share, to loose something of themselves.
So afraid of failure,
They never see the strength within themselves.
So afraid to love,
To be loved,
So afraid of loosing,
They never play.
Never love.
Perhaps it's the greatest tragedy in life.
Not loving,
Or feeling the warmth of anothers love for you,
And smoldering in your heart.
Then there is the average person.
They play.
Often.
Their pile of chips goes up and down throughout a lifetime.
As it should be.
have fun playing,
Win a few,
Loose a few.
But never to a critical point,
Where one can see the green of the table underneath.
When we marry,
We bet.
We take a chance we will win.
Both take that chance.
We must know our opponent well.
Respect their abilities to play this game with you,
Know how they bet,
How they bluff,
When they will check...
And when they will fold.
Knowing your opponents limits,
And your own,
Are a winning combination.
You are older.
The green is showing under your chips.
The game has been fair,
Life has been fair.
Youth.
Marriage.
Career.
2nd marriage.
Children.
Grandchildren.
All have dealt you hands,
Big hands won and lost.
But still you have chips,
About 25 of them.
At age 60, that is pretty good.
Bet more cautious then ever now,
At this age, a bad hand can wipe you out.
Diet.
Exercise.
An active sex life.
Remaining young at heart,
And still open to new ideas,
Keeps the chips restocked,
And covers the green.
The Lovers.
Love.
Truly a game of chance.
Of luck.
Even knowing you opponent
Cannot guarantee a winning hand.
In life and poker.........
There are no guarantees.
You look at you lover.
You look down at your chips.
What do you do?
Do you really see love in his eyes?
Or is that a bluff?
You play...
You love..
The cards are dealt.
Last hand.
Last love.
Draw poker.
Nothing wild.
Your last chance at love.
This is all you will allow.
You have 5 hearts,
King, Queen, Jack, Ten, Deuce.
A Flush!
Excellent hand in any game,
And with only two at the table,
It is almost a sure winner.
You are in love,
You love him so strong,
And so deeply,
You cry at night with thoughts of wanting him.
Still,
An ace would be an unbeatable hand,
Only to another of its kind, would it tie.
And still win.
What to do?
What to do?
You have loved before,
But never like this.
This one feels like all the chips inside.
He makes me feel alive,
Fresh.
New.
Like a baby again.
His Baby.
New and cuddly to only him.
I must be sure this is the one I will love forever,
And,
Yet,
If I bet all my chips,
Give all of me to him....
What if he's not?
Remember... knowing your opponent.
Look at him in the eyes.
See the truth that lies within him.
See his soul glowing.
Feel his passion.
Understand the Man that he is.
accept the things he is not.
And never, never try to change him.
He is....as he is.
Love him that way,
Unconditionally.
Or fold your hand.
He looks at you,
Cards in his hands,
You in his hands.
Will you take another card...
Try for that royal flush?
Or play the ones you have?
Look at him.
Look at him.
You see truth.
Feel his love.
Understand his meaning of life.
You love him.
He is the one.
He is the ace!!!!!!!
Break up that flush!!!
Throw the deuce on the table,
And ask for his card to you.
Take his love.
Take the cards in your hands.
Hold him with the cards to your breast.
Close your eyes.
This is for all the chips.
All of your happiness.
All the Man you've ever wanted...
Is here in your hand...
To win or loose.
Open the cards.
Pinch them out one by one.
King.
Ten.
Queen.
Jack.
ACE!!!!!
Ace.........!
I drew the ace.
I drew the ace.
The Ace Of Hearts.
He looks at the excitement in your face.
Surly he knows you have the winning hand.
He knows now.....
You hold him in your hands.
And in your heart.
He loves you.
He says: "You opened, it's your bet."
Bet, bet, bet, bet!
Bet it all girlfriend!
All of the chips.
Now all you see is the green of the table underneath.
But you know,
They will all come back to you.
He does love me.
Know how I know?
He bet all of his chips also,
To stay and see my hand.
" The Green Of The Table Underneath...
Life... According To Poker “
©
Original Work Written By...
NaNcY ImElDa ScHaFeR
December 27, 1995
Dedicated To:
My Grammy...
Viola Rose Schafer
Number: 052596
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Written with the clear
presence of my "Grammy"
in my mind.
I see her face before me,
and smell her on my skin.
Her love of Poker and Life itself
were unparalleled for a Woman
of her age and era.
For as long as I knew her,
her hands shook violently
with palsy.
Still, she dealt and played.
Cards flew everywhere at times.
The Schafer's waited, patiently.
Because..... The Schafer's play,
and play well.
Submitted December 11, 1996
spyder@pics.com
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