don’t play with ’em

Posted on by claudia

“no” i say
“the moon looks like a pancake”,
(those, only my mom can make)
fat & yellow
in a black jack sky,

see, usually
i wouldn’t talk to them
(it’s hopeless)
their view on life is fuzzy like their fur
we meet on crossroads,

one ways
& on lawn chairs
set up on a dead end street
(or traffic refuges)
play a game of chess
(i make the moves, you guess why)
then we go our own ways

don’t attach to them
too closely
watch ‘em on a poker table
& you understand
it’s wise advice,

we play roulette tonight,
“rien ne vas plus”
i put 4000 on 29, (mad, i know),
the bullet rolls, silver—

cliNk, cLink, cliNk, Clink, clinK

& stOPS–

they stare at me, furry lips,
close to my ear, breath wet,
“lucky streak , let’s try again”

i taught him how to twiddle thumbs once
in return for (no, won’t tell)
but mostly we’re inventing stories
in the tight loops of a traffic jam

“you’re right about the moon” he says
“ya bet” i smile,
then take my coat
—–& leave

.

we’re writing monsters at dVerse today.. cute cuddly monsters, monsters under your bed, scary monsters, misunderstood monsters…grab your pen and join the fun when brian opens the doors at 3pm EST

47 responses to “don’t play with ’em”

  6. Another poem to treasure.
    Like the kind of chess you play:
    just about the only way I can play myself:
    “guess the woodpusher’s dud move”.
    Maybe you will have the same lucky streak with backgammon.

  7. ha. cool. a bit surreal…playing chess with your monsters….and playing the roulette as well…the STOP…ha…nice effect with that…there is an intersting intimacy as well with your monsters in this claudia….fun piece…

  8. … chess and pancakes … German “Eierpfannekuchen” … any monster will succumb to that combination … I say, I know … Happy Canadian greetings to you, C … Always, cat.

  10. I enjoyed the visual you present in the opening stanza. I am quite impressed you’re brave enough to play games (chess, poker, roulette….) with you’re monsters especially with a lucky streak haunting you. a really fun read.

  11. I think maybe you have the right idea here. To weaken the power of the monsters you know, challenge them to a game an imaginative write, Claudia.

  12. Oh that description of the moon was just brilliant….I’m always manage to create such stunning images with your phrasing….a wonderful way to start my weekend.

  13. ha..inventing stories in a traffic jam..like that, and teaching him to twiddle his thumbs’…bet you made up great stories for you kids..

  16. This was such a fun read. Actually it’s not a bad idea to talk to our monsters, to disarm them, humanize them, even. The only thing I didn’t like about this poem is that now I’m dying for a stack of pancakes!

  18. Don’t play with them with the roulette gun, but tell them stories and maybe they will believe you when you say the moon looks like a pancake ~ Very creative, along with the sounds ~

  23. Yes… love this, Claudia… especially:

    i taught him how to twiddle thumbs once
    in return for (no, won’t tell)
    but mostly we’re inventing stories
    in the tight loops of a traffic jam

  28. The first stanza paints a dramatic introduction to the lively game of wild imaginings in this poem! So love “black jack sky”! Puts an interesting spin on monsters at play!

  31. First time reader Claudia and 1st time I have entered. I loved the structure of this the inner & outer dialogue. I am still learning to ‘read’ poetry so forgive me for now that’s all “I got” 😉 Enjoyed your take.

  36. “see, usually
    i wouldn’t talk to them
    (it’s hopeless)
    their view on life is fuzzy like their fur
    we meet on crossroads…”

    I have a funny feeling after reading your poem that playing and taking a chance can or challenge one to play with, and bet with, and beat that/their inner monster[s]?

    Thanks, for sharing!
    deedee :- /

  37. I always wonder why these things in sky fascinates us..
    see, usually
    i wouldn’t talk to them
    (it’s hopeless)..

    Cant tell you how many times I’ve felt that way… like some useless deed but still crave to do it 😛

  45. I love how you described the moon and paid homage to your mother’s pancakes then shifted to roulette in one imaginative piece. I don’t want to play with the monster though – the furry lips and wet breath make me a little nervous. 🙂