I love the imagery. Guileless gulls gazing at gullible gamblers. What a clever write!

Blessings.
Christine

Amazing poetry , AS YOU ARE SO TALENTED GENE!! I like visiting your
page!! Happy Easter!!

This poem, Gene, shadows my current city of residence. It rings too true, which is exactly why, when I meet friends, that I pass by the tables with blinders on. ~leslie

Strategic are the metaphorical symbolisms
You master your wonderful flow of expressionisms here gene
But…ahhh…clearing a table
Throwing in some dice
Ships Captain Crew….!!
Peace, Love & Inspirations
Vickie

Very fine poetry that makes a powerful statement, Gene. Thank you for sharing your perspective. Love and peace to you,

Regis

Wow gene, what a metaphor!
I think that dumb deuce, if diddered,
would have to throw in the towel
to such insightfulness.
Damn those types -
they end up with all the money
and give all the suckers something
to bitch about!

A complex composition with a precise perspective Gene... the gambling, the hypocrisy, the cheating are revealed. The last five-line stanza is very effective.

Axilea

Yea, so true, the deck is rigged, and my god, the aliases one uses to throw the game! Amazing Grace of deception! Marked deck and not playing with a full deck. What's in a name...neo-cheaters...Deuces Wild. Gamble the farm between the book covers and rewrite the incredible Book of Deceptive Gambling blurb under a deceptive alias...

"They galvanize mindless morality in hypocrisies
and deception, their ultimate return
a collective restlessness in the hues and cries
for their demise."

Love,
Sage

czars..........
are you insane?
how in the sam hades did you come up with that??!??!
grrrrrrrrrr...i want to eat that indelible line.
:)
ness

Gene,your aging eyes have remarkable vision -- vision beyond sight --the vision of wisdom and experience -- the far side of cloaks and smoky illusions are clearly visible to you -- a visionary or the sight of an experienced observer of mankind -- no,one hell of a poet my friend-- peace and love to you -- Jon Michael

... you see easily beyond the vanishing point, Gene; at the end of the day, they are all losers for all their card-sharp cheap tricks and double-dealings. Inhabiting darkness and ignominy, down the plughole shall they go, sucked by the swirling vortex... And you and your gulls shall laugh. Quite the Bermuda write: they shall be lost in the agony of the Triangle; you will be found relaxing in the not-so-square Shorts! :)) xx

The talent of your pen in this piece is truly breath-taking Gene. I'm speechless.

Yes, I appreciate your direct, truthful view. But, what most affects me are your impeccable word choices, placement, line breaks, transitions. It's all there - a model for the aspiring poet. Your skill is held upon the shoulders of your quiet confidence and unpretentious, attractive style.

This is quite the write, Gene. Very well done indeed.

Superb yet again. I like the sense of hopefulness you suggest just before the conclusion. Reality often bites but we can always soar with the gulls from time to time and attain clearer vision from above. Hugs from an ardent admirer of your work, J'nia

...and then you have those that go by the credo, "a pair of deuces never lose"!

Georg

POWERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Liana Margiva

Truthful, smart and honest...this is a good one, Gene.

Gene its always a pleasure to read your poetry and this is indeed one of them.You are a fine and great writer.Keep up the great work,take care

Gene,
You're a man looking out to sea beyond the peace and natural real of your beloved gulls to a world of deceit, intrigue and from my cynical view, hopelessness...it's a cruel view and an honest and wise one, and you are an honest and wise poet.

John

Yep, that sounds exactly like many politicians. The mob, though, usually catches on after awhile and then we have the American Revolution, The French Revolution and the Russian Revolution only to find we bleed for another scoundrel who sweet talked the mob into putting him on the throne so he could do the same thing all over again but more ruthlessley like in Iran. The mob never gets what it wants--only blood and more taxes until they can bleed no more. Promises always seem to lead to more suffering. Rivers of blood. Millions dead.