Thumb and forefinger smooth…
he carves each cube
from bone.
Slivers corners,
delicately,
with teeth…
into an almost
impossible perfection.
Ace, deuce, trey, cater, cinque,
pips he digs out,
headache-carefully…
with an old hairpin
handed-down
from Rosie Silver-Palm,
his Great Grandmother,
the once famous
Mumbles Mile
Crystal Ball and Tealeaf Reader,
before blackening them
with England’s Glory matches.
Then carries them around
in his pockets
for exactly eight months.
Constantly rubbing them
with craftsman’s hands
and hyperactive bent
until they’re absolutely perfect…
then barters them away
for a single meat and beer supper.