Pinball

Lurking in the shadows
glowing mysteriously
blinking
beckoning
flashing
flirting
calling out my name



The pinball machine kaching


comforts me
shape has seen no change
rules remain the same
and I know how to play this game


kaching kaching
in go my quarters
out comes the ball


silver and small
hard and round
built for distance and speed


pull the trigger
let it pop
adrenaline
anticipation
greed


blink
flash
ping 
ding


the ball flies into the field
I flip the flippers and whack the ball
trying to control it's destiny
every time I whack that ball it bounces into something else
and bounces into something else
only to bounce into something else
or speed curiously around a metal curve
or down a glistening rail


where is it going
what is it doing
the chaos is driving me


flapping and flipping
and banging and bucking
the sinister sneaky thing


I've lost control
the ball got away
it's rolling
exhausted
frenzied
dismayed
down the main drag
toward the exit


hoping
praying
desperately praying
to not get hit again
to end he cruelty
and not be forced to play again

Eventually the ball gets swallowed whole into a gaping hole.



So, do you ever really win this game? 


Never. 


Noone ever wins this game and you are all fools for playing.