Ace of Clubs (Saugherties, NY)

Crinkled memory
bustles on a dim, dirty
wedding day;
plastic jewelry cradling
stretchmarks
of a mother's love,
completely.

Shaking off your
poverty
the sparkling big dipper
taste of poison
cigarette stick, teaching
you to come
into circumstance.

Firmly, like a damp
fine-toothed comb.
Selling their hair,
wares
to the drugstore population
too trembling as they
sweat
their nerves, and families
away.

Heavenly hosts in clear
plastic heels;
deciphering holy scripture,
crumbling limestone and ink
through the insides of
her thighs.

Won't be around tomorrow
when she's lying to the football
coach about her
streetfights,
nights out
and overnight flights--
to the grime marble floors,
tongue-licked clean
in a see through nightie from
another lip-stained,
sunny day.

~ M. Lucia