RAGS AND RICHES

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#336666" TEXT="#080000" background="043b85a3.jpg"> <div> <B>                          </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#33CCFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>BILLY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT ADDITIONS</B></FONT><B>  </B></div> <div> <B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>                                               "NEXT POEM" FEATURE IN  LEFT  BORDER</B></FONT><B>   </B><B>                    </B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>  </B></FONT></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=250 BGCOLOR="#336666" TEXT="#080000" background="044fab83.jpg"> <bR> <div> ''WHY ME, LORD''</div> <div>  <embed src="HTMLobj-130/whymelord.mid" autostart="false" width="145" height="70">  </div> <div> <B>SOUND CONTROL</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="guestbook.htm" TARGET="_top" 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test;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>they have so little each day to spare, but strive to do their best.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>Now, the wife is sound in the ways she's found to make their marriage click;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>but away he roams from the house alone... just like a maverick.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>They're just a pair with average care and often make with less;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>but, he has dreams of wealth it seems and gambling is his quest!</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>So heres the way he spent the day and you can surely bet...</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>a winning spree not equalled yet, well, this story tells the rest.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>He felt forlorn that week-end morn' and longed for some relief;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>his lovely wife who filled his life came on to spare his grief.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>She knew his vice and paid the price to calm her husband's ills;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>so with a wish and good luck kiss, allowed him (two) one dollar bills.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>Then off he went with a mind-set bent to find a favorite game;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>to meet his vice in cards or dice without any guilt or shame.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>It came real soon, a gambler's tune , as dice spun off a board;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>he joined that clan and warned each man, "no cheatin' is deplored!"</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>* * * * *</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>Then grabbed those dice like cats do mice and laid his two "bucks" down;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>and in short while he won a pile and "cleaned out" all around.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>So off he drove to "CoCo Grove," a bar with back room parlors,</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>and his cash had come to one huge sum of thirteen hundred dollars!</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>His first big aim is a poker game and antes all he's got;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>He played 'em loose just like a goose and won a ten - grand pot.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>Now feeling tall he bets it all, excitement fills the room;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>when comes an eight to fill a "straight" which spelled the others doom!</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>* * * * *</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>Now in command with sixty-grand and slot machines are loaded,</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>and with his luck good fortune struck, the jack-pot box exploded!</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>twelve thousand bills in silver spills right out upon the floor,</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>with cups he scoops and then he scoots to roulette wheels for more.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>And the "dough" he's got he dares to flop-all on the bright red spot;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>then around it swirls, and the ball it twirls, 'til it stops in the wining slot!</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>With one big grin he goes "all in" but this time when it spins,</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>he chose the "black"that made contact-- one half a million skins!</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>* * * * *</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>While now in style and with a pile, he wants just one more try;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>to stake his stack and play "Black Jack" on luck an egg could fry.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>With apparent gall he put's it all on deck with a double split;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>and rakes and crams one million "clams" when "Black-Jack" comes a hit!</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>So he takes this load and hits the road, it's time to go back home,</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>but while enroute he met a "tout", a pal he once had known;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>with tout's advice and some entice they head for a race track lot</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>to himself he mused: "I just can't lose as he bets on some long shot.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>* * * * *</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>He dreamed of fame, to win his aim, to have no more appall;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>but his horse was passed and came in last, and this guy just LOST IT ALL!</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>So at his house when asked by spouse: "How did you fair my sweet?"</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>and from him follows: "I lost the two dollars, is there anything here to eat?!!!"</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>* * * * * * ** * * * * * * *</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>EPILOGUE:</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>There's a lesson learned and a blessing earned,</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>in taking this kind of hit;</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>is taking your bread while you're ahead,</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <I>and do a "lickety split!"</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>BY William E. Hardison (c)</I></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="gone_but_not_forgotten.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN"><I>NEXT POEM</I></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>