by Linda Arntzenius
Cancellation shall occur by drilling a hole at least one fourth inch in diameter from the center of each die.
-NJ Casino Control Commission
I could’ve married Jamie and been a good chef’s wife
Or played Jack’s muse and danced with poppies all through life
I could’ve partnered Alisdair and gone away to sea
Or run off with the carpenter who begged to marry me
Ah yes, I could have had my pick
but there now, wouldn’t you know
I married the man who makes the holes in the dice at the casino
Sheila married Kevin and Wilma married Dan
a brickie and a plumber as fine as any a working man
Janet fell for Angus and became a doctor’s wife
and Ruth hooked up with the minister to lead a model life
but the only man there was for me
the one who makes me sigh
is the man who has the wee-bit drill and makes a hole in every die
Justine (the minx) took on two men down by Barnegat Bay
Willie watches the light by night while Tim spins taffy all day
Kerry ran off with a Spaniard for love of a blue-black curl
then left him for an old man with no hair on his head at all!
but me, I wouldn’t change my man
no, not at any price
for I love the man who makes the holes in the casino’s used up dice
Ah yes, I could’ve had it easy as Don the oysterman’s mate
He would have served me lobster and shad roe by the plate
I sometimes think on Brendan that would have been a darling choice
his Irish lilt and O those eyes, that made the hills rejoice
but none of them had my man’s charms
by now I’m sure you know
I married the man who makes the holes in the dice at the casino
Linda Arntzenius is a freelance writer who is also a member of U.S.1 Poets’ Cooperative. Her work has been published in small literary journals such as U.S.1 Worksheets, Slant, Kelsey Review and the Journal of New Jersey Poets.
