One Eyed Jack
Shame is such a simple trick
A shady hustler’s party game
Where cards are dealt so quick and slick
You’ll never trust your eyes again.
The one eyed Jack who plays it cool
Laughs too loud and guards his hand
Knows all the tells and plays the fool
Then counts his coins and contraband.
He whistles as he walks the night
Sniffs out his prey behind closed doors
And patient, waits with eerie cheer
For little girls come looking for
His kind regard, his promised rides
On carousels and ferris wheels
His whispers sweet and almost shy
He knows just how to make them feel.
Until it’s time for sleight of hand
Till pretense drops and shades arrive
And once it’s done they cannot stand
The weight of it, they have to hide
They run to ground but it’s too late
The shame applied will drag them down
Some don’t survive and will not wait
They disappear without a sound
And others hide the best they can
Their rabbit hearts beat triple time
They sew themselves back up again
With needles and old bits of twine
Haunted by old One Eyed Jack
Each time they try to close their eyes
They blame themselves not knowing that
Shame is not born but is applied
Old Jack, he knows just how it’s done
And smug, delights in each trick tried
Amazed how easy it’s become
knows all the girls who’ve bravely tried
To shake it off can never win
Shame can’t be tossed or washed away
It sticks as thickly as old sin
And at the ending of the day
They pick at threads become undone
And wonder where their lives have gone.
