WITH WORMWOOD AT THE CRAPS TABLE - Alexandra Burack

She would give anything to roll a seven,

anything to rub her life

against some plush felt of luck.

Three nights running, Wormwood staked

her out, knew his mark

when his hands itched with ripe

desolation as he brushed by her gown.

The first night he smiled when she lost

to a sudden flick of a die.

The second, he sidled up, bought

her drinks, thrilled to the mustiness

flung from her hands with each throw.

Then the third night, when she raised those dice

like Mary cradled the broken Jesus,

brought them to his lips, whispered

blow on these for luck,

he knew he could help her, knew

she would throw herself out of her skin for him.

She could feel her luck

change already as the seven landed,

felt lighter, like something lifted

out of her, carried deep away.

Originally published by The Bound Spiral, Winter 1995/Spring 1996 

Alexandra Burack is a Pushcart Prize-nominated poet, editor, and author of the chapbook, On the Verge (Plinth Books). Her recent work has appeared in The Sewanee Review, Lumina Journal, Sky Island Journal, Emerge Literary Journal, The Blue Mountain Review, Heavy Feather Review, Broad River Review, Roi Fainéant, ORLANDO, and Ink & Marrow, and is forthcoming in Spillway Magazine and Five South. She serves as a Poetry Reader for The Los Angeles Review and $ Poetry is Currency, a Poetry Editor for Iron Oak Editions, and is Adjunct Professor of Creative Writing at Chandler-Gilbert Community College (AZ). Her new website is https://www.alexandraburack.com.