The god of gambling is spread thin in this town
where the Indian casino lights the unpolluted sky
like an airplane crash site. People only think about
five-dollar chips when they don’t have any money.

Four members of the Methodist congregation
blew double their weekly offering tonight in slot machines.
I approach a man at a Japanese slot
called 7 Suns: “Did you know
gambling is illegal in Japan?” I ask.

He turns his head to me with a cigarette
between thin pale lips.
With a large uneven smile he says,
“What? No, I’m fine.”