Best Ante Up Poems
...He said: "I believe there is a God.
Something ingenious was most definitely
at play.
But, I've asked some other
reverends, pastors, and ministers,
where are Jesus' bones?
Not one convinced me, which repulsed
my eagerness to fellowship.
We have
dinosaur bones, giant and dwarf bones,
archeologists artifacts and a slew of other
things that prove that these historical events existed
or occurred.
I'm a total believer of proof!
(with a grin on his face)
Can you answer that"?
The other guy paused and prayed
before taking the quiz!
He says: "the miracle is prophecy since the Old Testament.
And the sacrifice of foul offering
became displeasing to the Creator's taste buds.
And, don't forget about Abraham who was willing
to sacrifice his own son when God asked him
to pledge his allegiance... an Initiatory joke
that the creator ante up one
with a pure scarifications and sacrificial lamb;
his own child!
You and I have bones from our parents
meshing. The sperm penetrated the egg.
Mary, a virgin,
impregnated by a message
that she would bear a child.
Without the meshing of two
those bones
left the same way that they arrived... Miraculously
with dominion over hell and a graveyard".
you build high your dreams
with these card houses
as you stack them against walls
yet your eyes are closed
to life, so how can you see
what it is you hold?
you think you hold all the aces
in those battered fists of yours?
(be careful of the winds)
they may come tumbling down
care to gamble,
take a chance?
I can tell you
before you place your bet
the deck's not full
it never really is
it's just a game
nothing more
nothing less
and you can never win
go ahead ante up
the stakes are high
when the pots full of fire
just be careful of the winds
they may huff and puff
and blow your house down
it was never balanced anyhow
you just never saw
They agreed to go to their favorite hangout and cigars.
Once they were seated the waiter said that the restaurant had a deal on Italian wine.
In the beginning it was easy, turn the cold shoulder for a few days.
And that was followed by fantastic sex.
He loved to poker her and she carried her part.
But the children came and it was much harder.
They had a full house and the meanness .
The thing that bothered her most was his control issues.
And he believed he ruled over the family like a king.
She always peeked at his hands when they fought.
Whenever he was angry he would clench and unclench his hands.
He knew the relationship was over and he should have folded.
She wanted to lay all her cards on the table.
She had tried hard but when angry her face would get flushed.
They would rake in each others defects and the love died.
The high road was never straight and neither took.
He would raise past issues that were long dead and forget the progress..
He thought he was a stud but the children were his weakness.
He wanted to holdem but she wanted their best.
All she wanted was for him to ante up in the marriage.
They were both bluffing and the love weakened.
Poker table blues.
Hand after hand, a looser.
Ace up dealer's sleeve.
RHYME, RHYME, RHYME
I gave my little brother a dime
'Cause he wanted to buy some slime
He said, a dime won't buy no slime
You try to trick me all the time
Slime will cost at least a dollar
So ante up before I holler
I'll lay in the floor, kick and wallow
'Til you decide to come up with a dollar
Mama and Daddy will come to see
Just what's going on with me
There'll be no place for you to flee
What do you think your punishment will be
I can tell you before I start
Screamin' and hollerin', you'll be smart
To take me downtown to Wal-Mart
And put me some slime in the shopping cart
29 September 2013
Rhyme Battle Contest
The steely-eyed hombre stepped down from the stage that sultry afternoon.
He looked about with disdain, then swaggered to the Cripple Creek Saloon.
His hat lay low upon his brow and swung low was a pair of 44's on his hips.
He sported fancy duds and greeted a few loafers with a snarl on his lips.
Jeremiah Slade was the feller's name and gamblin' was his trade.
He sauntered up to the bar and stunned the bartend by orderin' a lemonade!
Then he strolled to a table in the back of the room with his back to the wall.
(This was his usual modus operandi just in case there was a free-fer-all!)
He announced, "Boy's, my name's Jeremiah Slade and gamblin' is my game;
Join me and ante up fer a round of poker, but, boys let's keep it tame!"
Three chumps took the bait and scurried fer Jeremiah's table to grab a chair!
He let the dudes win a game or so to assure that things were fair and square.
Now, unknown to the three suckers, Slade was a professional gyp!
The scoundrel was invited to leave umpteen towns west of the Mississip!
Slade had a few tricks up a sleeve that he soon entered into play.
Mysteriously, numerous aces appeared in his draws and were on display!
The trio got wise to his game and jammed three rods in Jeremiah's face!
He was quickly consigned to eternity fer playin' too many an ace!
Jeremiah was conveyed out of town, that no-good cunnin' knave,
And now lies at the foot of Mount Pisgah a-molderin' in his grave!
Our journey through this life is a game of chance
Very little skill, more by happenstance
Turn the cards at the break of day, which ones to hold which ones to play
In this game called life some will win, some will lose, but be not dismayed
Hold them tight, bet them high, run that bluff, take that chance
If you lose you cry, if you win you dance; it all rides on circumstance
Smell the roses, kick the can, run the race, celebrate your friends
Love and be loved, embrace living each and every day of life, until it ends
For as surely as the sun will rise, we are dealt back in; it’s ante-up or throw them in
On our journey through this life we have but one pass, enjoy the ride, that way you win
Then kick up your heels and dance, dance, dance
Game Playing
by Odin Roark
There was this time…
When his drunken ambition
Made him take a seat at the table,
Ante up his meager self,
Bet with stakes he didn’t have,
And hold his “dare you” stare for luck.
There was this time…
When joining the game
Meant playing by the rules,
Winning a few,
Losing a few,
Walking away once in a while.
And like his shadow forever stretching
Across his personal walled-in self,
The one possession he hadn’t pawned,
All vanished.
He sees different now,
20/20 honesty having risen.
The games no longer appeal,
Someone else’s rules no longer matter,
Winning has lost its luster,
And his inner-solitaire provides.
Occasionally…
He wanders out from his world,
The honest one,
And peers at the fashionable one,
Remembering there was a time
When that was him,
The someone they dared to win,
To play out life's game their way.
Returning to his discovered home,
Being who he really is
Not someone they said he was
Is…
Well…
Truth just keeps getting better.
I sang a song over the olive branch today,
And nobody listened.
So I remarked how cruel death is
When life is dead
And dreaming is only violent.
Still, I was not heard against the night.
Then I whispered long and low
To an empty room
Wherein I slept, uncovered.
It was very hot in that close room.
There was a rider approaching
from the dawn.
It was the pony express, almost.
His saddle bags were empty,
And the pale rider was only thirsty.
Finally, we sat together
At an empty table
And gambled what we had.
He bet his years and his trail of dust.
I could only ante up my life,
Wanting his pony.
At the end of the story
I rode away on his bare steed,
And the rider kept the saddle.
As youth flows out with middle age,
I find it hard to turn the page.
Life deals the cards and calls our name.
We ante up, or leave the game.
Working, saving, spending, craving
If success is measured by the things we own
By glorious deeds so widely known,
Then I must fold; in shame confess,
“I've lost this hand, I've failed the test.”
Labor, scheming, planning, dreaming
The dreams of youth are so elusive,
Love and fortune, so exclusive,
Time has placed them beyond my grasp,
The lock of age is on the hasp.
Experience, yearning, study, learning
Notions in granite, supplanted anew,
Ideals, so innocent and true
That filled my adolescent thoughts,
Replaced with truth; by patience wrought.
Knowledge, growing, wisdom showing
Life is not over! Not soiled with rust!
The dawn is now! A light to trust.
My coffers fill to overflowing.
My treasures humble, still are growing.
Riches tallied, courage rallied
A home and family; sacred ground,
With spouse and children gathered 'round,
A stronghold, safe from worldly trouble.
My life's net worth has been redoubled.
Paperless dolls and run-less runs –
Roller coaster rides and fun-less fun.
Hopscotch and blisters; banana-seat bikes –
Hand games and shout-backs too.
Quiet-less walks at 3:00 in the morn –
Virtual stranger rides with indecency.
Cracker-jacks and white wine spritzers –
Early morning-midnight bizarre.
Hellish targets for our holy aims –
Lipsticks red and perfumes sweet.
Mustard corndogs with licorice malt –
Chocolate mustache with milk beards.
Sunstroke and fallacy whipping tales –
Tongue-tied talk and all the such.
Hair-unwoven nightmares & bobby pins –
Lurid washed-out make-up; oh the horror.
Candy-less sugar pops dressed in green –
Wrappers prettied up in dazzling clash.
Malt whiskey and bourbon please –
Ante up for your hill-less ride.
Why are there others,
When there's only ourselves,
Primary,
Secondary,
Who goes first,
Who leaves last,
Who gets more,
Who drives fast,
Interconnected?
To that guy?
Why, he will never,
Ever,
Affect my outcome,
He could deliberate,
Dangle,
Debate,
And I'll keep moving,
Living,
Thriving, despite,
His malfeasance,
And her?
She's a mess,
A plodding set,
Of devastating circumstances,
She'll leave,
Move on,
And I'll keep moving,
Living,
Surviving, in spite of,
Her disapproval,
And she of mine,
Yet each,
He and she,
To one another,
And to me,
Together,
And separate,
As one,
Without knowing,
Only showing,
The prickly bit,
Of ourselves,
Standing firm,
Left foot,
Right foot,
Protecting turf,
And things,
Continuing our beliefs,
Mine is mine,
The rest,
To be delivered,
Thinking,
A little deeper,
Deeper,
Hmmm,
Wait a minute,
Can't get more,
Without him,
Can't have more,
Without her,
Can't be more,
Unless,
We all chip in,
It's time,
Ante up.
(10/16/02)
"THE BALANCE IS MOVING"
when you lose Princess Leia,
George Michael, Carol Brady,
R2-D2, Buddy Ryan, Muhammed
Ali, Prince and many others in
the same year, reflection is
forced.
when you lose yourself without
death,
reflection is an option.
most never steal the opportunity.
when you oddly play the old saying,
"it's like riding a bike, once on you
never forget," over and over again
throughout the course of your life,
you find one of two things:
it's true or it isn't.
then you get hit by a truck and
land on your claws without tearing
your chest and stomach apart.
the driver never stopped.
why would he?
I was his reflection.
the gods give you a pass:
no broken bones.
no death.
at 33 my reflection was optional.
on the street, with blood and pain,
reflection and I, took a trip back
home. I thought back to the handful
of times Death gambled and bet
my breath.
to date, he's never won,
but the bastard hasn't walked
from the table yet.
time to ante up again.
Leia, Michael, Brady, D2, Ryan,
Ali, Prince and many others are
gone.
the seeds of thought continue to
grow.
the roses of life bloom again.
Death skipped his gamblers
anonymous
meeting and my bike still has tires
with air.
anyone need a ride?
By: Chicano Eddie
1-10-2017
Why are there others,
When there's only ourselves,
Primary,
Secondary,
Who goes first,
Who leaves last,
Who gets more,
Who drives fast,
Interconnected?
To that guy?
Why, he will never,
Ever,
Affect my outcome,
He could deliberate,
Dangle,
Debate,
And I'll keep moving,
Living,
Thriving, despite,
His malfeasance,
And her?
She's a mess,
A plodding set,
Of devastating circumstances,
She'll leave,
Move on,
And I'll keep moving,
Living,
Surviving, in spite of,
Her disapproval,
And she of mine,
Yet each,
He and she,
To one another,
And to me,
Together,
And separate,
As one,
Without knowing,
Only showing,
The prickly bit,
Of ourselves,
Standing firm,
Left foot,
Right foot,
Protecting turf,
And things,
Continuing our beliefs,
Mine is mine,
The rest,
To be delivered,
Thinking,
A little deeper,
Deeper,
Hmmm,
Wait a minute,
Can't get more,
Without him,
Can't have more,
Without her,
Can't be more,
Unless,
We all chip in,
It's time,
Ante up.
(10/16/02)
Ante Up For Love
Love is a gamble, the players facing unfavourable odds.
Still you risk that which you can't afford to lose.
Never able to explain or recover the loss.
The cards have been shuffled
and ready to be dealt.
Are you in? Ante up!