In the Land of the Blind - a ballad

Miss Mary and the Jack of Hearts
devised a simple plan
to trump the wily one-eyed King
into a waiting van.

Leaning on the Hard Luck Bar
Mary nursed her drink.
The sloppy drunks slumped in their chairs.
The joint began to stink

Diamond had a private itch.
He sought a private place
He needed anonymity,
an unfamiliar face.

She turned her body toward him,
her pose a work of art.
He didn’t need a menu
to order a la carte.

“I think we’ve got a perfect match”
the King he made his pass.
She rolled her eyes and snarled,
“Yeah, your face and my ass.”

Just the kind of spice he liked.
Miss Mary set the hook.
She slipped a roofie in his drink
then took a second look

at the hunger in his eyes
and the tremor in his hand
when Jack stepped in between them
to reel in the man.

Mary said, “Please join us.”
and offered Jack a place.
He didn’t give the game away,
nothing on his face.

The King was hip.  He made this pair
while Jack looked up to grin
Diamond switched the glasses.
The spike got passed to him.

Mary saw the game was up
as Jack dropped to the floor
Diamond said, “Don’t sweat it.
I’m coming back for more.”

You can take your chances
with this loser at your feet
or get in my Mercedes.
It’s parked out in the street.

Not a proud girl, Mary
knew what she had to do.
Walk with the King of Diamonds
or face the black and blue.

She gave herself up gracefully.
The King he claimed his prize
They couldn’t see the fury
that roared behind Jack’s eyes.

In a bleary haze he fired.
All three tricks went down.
A one-eyed Knave, a one-eyed King,
nobody wears the crown.