Flip
Roll up, roll up and play the game
Good luck is at your side
Place your bet, make your choice
Check out or let it ride
You think that you are in control
But the Fates they will decide.
FLIP.
LIFE – is just a lottery
The decisions that we make
Affecting those around us
We think we own our fate.
FLIP.
LOVE – is just a lottery
It was luck that I won mine
Different sides, one coin for us
A love that was divine.
FLIP.
BIRTH – is just a lottery
Your child, such love, such pain
A boy, a girl who knows who cares
With love it is your gain.
FLIP.
FAMILY – is just a lottery
Some share, some love, some fail
It’s only blood, why should you care
They’re not the Holy Grail.
FLIP.
FRIENDS – are just a lottery
Some good, some bad, some call
And some are never, ever
Really friends at all.
FLIP.
DEATH – is just a lottery
You cannot pick your time
My love, my loss, my life goes on
Just not in a straight line.
The Fates decide our lives you see
Whatever path we take
The choices that we think we have
Are never ours to make.
Roll up, roll up and play the game
Good luck is at your side
Place your bet, make your choice
Check out or let it ride
You think that you are in control
But the Fates ALWAYS decide.
PJ.
© 2019
“Flip” is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that delves into the unpredictable nature of life. Through a series of vivid stanzas, each punctuated by the word “FLIP,” the poet explores various aspects of human existence – life, love, birth, family, friends, and death – as if they were outcomes of a cosmic coin toss. The repetitive structure and gambling metaphor effectively convey the sense that much of what happens to us is beyond our control, subject to the whims of fate.
The poem’s refrain, “Roll up, roll up and play the game,” evokes the image of a carnival barker, inviting us to participate in life’s grand spectacle. Yet, the closing lines remind us that despite our illusions of control, “the Fates ALWAYS decide.” This bittersweet acknowledgment of life’s inherent uncertainty gives the poem a profound emotional resonance.
About the Book and Poet
“Flip” is part of Peter J. Watson’s collection “Poems from the Darkside,” a deeply personal journey through grief, loss, and the struggle to find meaning in the aftermath of tragedy. Written following the death of his wife, Watson’s poems offer a raw and honest exploration of the human experience in its darkest moments.
While the subject matter may be heavy, there’s a universal quality to Watson’s writing that speaks to anyone who has faced loss or grappled with life’s big questions. His work reminds us that even in our darkest hours, we’re not alone in our struggles. If you’re looking for poetry that doesn’t shy away from life’s complexities and finds glimmers of hope in unexpected places, “Poems from the Darkside” might be just what you need.
Explore “Poems from the Darkside” on Amazon
