Robert Pettit Poet Ballade

Why Did We Come Down Here Today

There is lousy luck at a slot machine.
We play roulette after blackjack.
The table games are just as mean.
Below the dealer’s ace, there is a jack.
Bet on red, but it comes out black.
Lady Luck disappears this day.
It looks as if she’s hit the sack.
Why did we come down here today?

The summer is a pleasant as I have seen.
Tourists come to this town in an attack.
But you would prefer the casino scene.
The winds are keeping our ship aback.
Lower and lower goes each chip stack.
Seven-out at craps makes me say,
“common sense is what most people lack.”
Why did we come down here today?

The situation we’re in is hardly serene.
Today, I am hardly taken aback.
My wallet is holding less and less green.
Our express train has gone off the track.
Whatever happened to your gambling knack?
It appears as if it’s gone away.
I just hope I don’t have a heart attack.
Why did we come down here today?

Right now, I can’t even afford a snack.
I know we’ll be back again some day.
What I went through, most guys can’t hack.
Why did we come down here today?

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Poet Destroyer A March 15, 2014 at 11:14 PM Hello, Robert... I was going for a Ballade, and could not pull off the form... You pulled this one off fantastically. I'm not a rhymer... However, I wrote what I think is a Ballad.. Extended edition... LOL.. When you have some time, would you, could you, offer any vice on my latest poem "Texian Macabre Arena".... pssss... LOL, I don't know why you went down to the game room.. It takes all your green. I use to go to the ones, that gave you free meals.. LOL... hugs ~LINDA

Andrea Dietrich February 21, 2011 at 7:59 AM Good one for all those who do this activity! YOu sure do well with this topic. I've not noticed anyone doing the trochee meter by separating it into 4 lines each of alternating 7/5 syllable lines I couldn't find examples of it online when I looked under poetry forms, so I submitted it to Shadowpoetry and they accepted it as a form I named 7/5 trochee. I"ve yet to see anyone at Soup using that scheme. Let me know if you see it. LUv, Andrea (of course I did not invent that meter!)

C.C Bloomsfield February 21, 2011 at 7:26 AM i enjoyed this poem,very entertaining :)'without even a snack'gee,i know why i dnt gamble now and not even play roulette :)

Joyce Johnson February 20, 2011 at 5:26 PM if you're as good at gambling as at writing ballades, you'll do okay Robert. Good luck. 3rd verse third line from bottom a tiny typo. You might want to correct it. Great poem. Love, Joyce

Barbara Gorelick February 20, 2011 at 5:14 PM VEGAS, here we come..lol. I agree with everythng you say in this lively piece..but I still get sucked in once in a while. BG