A Brief Stretch

every regular

was at that upstate simulcast

facility the day

the screens went blank &

the lights went off:

power outage

rendering

the betting machines useless &

after a brief stretch

of hope for restoration

I felt urged to leave:

we could be victims

of fire or a bomb

we could bet at the OTB

2 towns north

but no one was easing with me

toward the door

those who normally stood taking seats

predictions of winners of Belmont’s next race

replaced by eulogies

of champs

I grew sure

there’d be argument:

they wouldn’t be able to handle

not having the kick

of explicit odds against them

& soon they

did argue

but it was nothing

vicious

just one telling another

what really happens after

prostate surgery

then there was nothing but

gentle talk

as if we were all

again under some camping

trip tent:

summertime

lights out

a night’s sleep

our worst enemy                                  printable