The Game, an SR poem Options

[crash2029]

Are you a gambling’ man?
Durango asked with a smile,
As he tipped his hat,
Hefted his deck,
And looked the man in the eye,
All the while.

And the stakes?
Asked the man,
As he studied Durango’s face,
You win, you’re free…
And if I lose?
Well,
Replied Durango…
Thems’ the breaks.

The man looked around nervously,
The tavern was half empty,
A lack of obstructions to put between himself and Durango’s bullets,
No chance to break and run,
He looked back at Durango,
“I’m not too bad at cards� He thought,
“’Specially if I cheat.� He thought,
The man looked Durango in the eye and assented.
He suddenly decided to play it straight as a predatory glint crept into Durango’s eye,
And he started to deal.

Durango popped open the deck,
The cards were careworn,
But they seemed to spring to life in Durango’s lithe fingers,
Three shuffles, like clockwork,
Durango set the cards down in front of the man,
Looking him in the eye,
The whole while.

The man reached forward with slightly unsteady hands to cut the deck,
Durango took the deck and dealt swiftly,
Five cards slid to a stop in front of the man,
Clearing his throat, he picked them up,
Ace, six, eight, ace , eight,
Two pair, dead man’s hand, the man felt a twinge in his gut,
Durango looked at him with that slight smirk,
Which wasn’t so bad ‘till you looked at his eyes,
Ice chips colder than a Nazi’s heart,
Durango inclined his head in question,
One, he said as he discarded a card,,
A lone card slid into place in front of him,
He picked it up,
Ace,
A slight warmth spread through him as he realized he’d probably won,
Durango picked up his hand,
Deftly, he discarded two cards and replaced them with two more.

“You show first� said the man,
Durango smiled and spread his hand,
Jack, Jack, Ace, Jack, Jack,
The mans face went ashen as his blood ran cold,
Durango leaned back confidently,
“One chance� thought the man,
He slid his hand down and flexed his forearm as he spread his palm,
A Derringer slapped into his hand,
Durango’s smile turned cold,
And with a slight shake of the head he conveyed his desire for no bloodshed,
The man didn’t notice,
Or didn’t care,
His chair shot out behind him as he surged to a standing position , leveling his weapon,
He never got that far.

Durango kicked the table forward into the man’s gut,
He whuffed as he doubled over the table,
Lightning quick Durango grabbed the man’s wrist and twisted,
There was a sharp crack and a howl as the man dropped his gun,
Durango stood up slowly as the man extricated himself from the table,
The man, a crimson rage in his eye, lunged at Durango with his good hand,
Durango, with an economy of motion that was superhuman, deftly sidestepped the blow,
And planted a knee in the man’s gut,
Solar Plexus, to be specific,
The man crumpled to the floor, choking and gasping,
With a resigned look in his eye, Durango cuffed the man.

He turned him in to the cops,
Collected his fee,
And went home to relax,
Just another day in the life of a gunslinger.

[Wesley Street]

Gibson's Ire
I play Shadowrun.
It makes William Gibson mad
Because it has elves.

Cyberpunk's Lament
Cyberpunk is dead.
No matter how hard we wish,
The 80s are gone.

He's Not Neo
Why do people hate
The poor technomancer?
He doesn't say "woah".

Technomancers r00x0r
Technomancers rock.
They create any program
Simply by wishing.

Secret Histories
Hey, is that Earthdawn?
Yeah, here's the thing about that...
I play D&D.

Sweater Kittens
Orks, orks, orks, orks, orks.
What's the best thing about orks?
Their babes have big boobs.

Totally Metal
Like playing a troll?
I have a question for you...
Do you rock to Gwar?

AbFab
Elves really aren't gay
With their pretty hair and ears.
They are fab-u-lous.

Vegetarian's Delight
It isn't so bad
Residing in the Sixth World.
I hope that you like soy.

Funny Words
Drek, frag, hoop, chummer.
When I use phrases like these
It makes me feel "street".

[Kanada Ten]

An enjoyable expression of creativity, followed by humor. Time well spent, with my thanks.

[Fix-it]

End or beginning?
The 80s are dead.
Onward to post-modernism.
we are all fucked

/ps, don't make me pull out my SR lightbulb jokes

[Wesley Street]

End or beginning?
The 80s are dead.
Onward to post-modernism.
we are all fucked

Post-modernism
Began in 1870.
We're already fucked.

Onward...

Cyberpunk's dated.
I program in cyberspace
At my place of work.

Gibson and Tolkein
Had a strange mutant baby.
It's called Shadowrun.

Why can't role-players
Like games that defy genre?
I don't like white bread.

[Naysayer]

Flicker of neon, reflected on blood stained concrete
Clatter of gunfire, echoing between derelict skyscrapers
The air tinged with fire,
the skies filled with static
As the whisper of the spirits
passes under the wings of an ancient myth.
The information-highway is but a back-alley
of the dataflow in your neurons
20/20 vision, paid with a piece of your soul
And the deafening roar
of a bucket-load of dice
...
Dogde THIS!

[Chrysalis]

Hands outstretched touching the electric sky
Pillars of neon advertisement
Painted hookers in lingerie
Preachers promising redemption
All worshiping the electronic bit
The sight of Dis below
Dealers with their drugs
Tattooed monsters clutching their guns
The final splash on cold concrete and refuse