Streak

masterless
frustrated by my unabraided skin
bored listless by beginner’s luck,
small time small hands and unpillaged pots--
I’m not playing if I’m not afraid

felt-snap me you,
peek-sneak my sleeves while
rough-shuffling decks

real me
deal me in
my penny-ante secrets
tease, you: pursue
me over slo-mo calculated naked rounds
wait me out
relish wet my flirting for a fall
going hell-bent swell-head for broke
fold limp me
achingly
indebted and card-licked
beat me someone you—
21 and I’m always playing to lose.