i put down
my last ten bucks
on the trifecta
for the fourth race

no knowledge
of what a trifecta
is supposed to be
or how to read the
stats on the ponies
but i left it up
to sheer chance

and as i figured
as they rounded
the final turn
to the cheers of
everyone but me
i lost every penny
on a fools bet

somewhere hank laughs
taking a long drag
off a badly bent smoke
watching the ladies
prance by excitedly
and that makes me smile

happy birthday
you ugly old bastard
your nicotine stained
hands tapping away
on the typewriter
as you complain
about paradise not having
enough ladies of the night