Cards with the Devil

Pervading the room was that familiar veil of smoke

Staking bronze and silver, fluttering embers being stoked

Evading our sentences, of ebbing away in a croak

Masquerading was the devil, all accoutred in his cloak

 

It of course befell to me to divvy up the deck of cards,

My heart could hear the death knell, the devil's eyes, they carried shards

Of glass, the danger resting on the lip of that cigar

The paper bridged, set on the oak, every man was now on guard

 

A fragment of a glance, lasted no longer than a flicker

Mr Lucifer's eyes fell on his hand, already victor

Though a breath of smoke escaped his lips, the smashing of his liquor

Behind the blazing of his eyes laced humid red, his tongue was bitter

 

Retrospectively, I laugh, into the face of death with verve

For irrespective of his fire, purely ignited by my nerve

I laid the joker to his ire, his pride inviting to deter

My soul was torn into an effigy - a reaction quite incurred

 

It would be wise, if I advised to any bettors, the fact

The prize of catalysing rage, just leads to death, fast track

Likewise, to gamble with the devil, you're only destined for the black

Crystallise your mind, or keep your cards behind your back