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Poem
April 1, 1954
The Prison Mirror
Stillwater, Washington County, Minnesota
What is this article about?
Narrative poem recounting a gambler's attempt to fix a boxing match for profit, only for fate to intervene and cause failure, serving as a cautionary tale on relying on luck and schemes.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
A Gambler's Chance . . .
by Dick Madison
If you think you're a gambler
And rely on luck to win.
I want to tell a story that-
You're bound to hear again.
It's about a gambling friend
I knew some years ago.
Who swore he knew a little,
About all there is to know.
He thought he had a method,
A sure-fire thing at that.
To keep his girl friend happy,
And make his billfold fat.
He knew a punch-drunk fighter,
A ready, willing bait.
He felt he could match against,
The odds he knew as fate.
His man was a slight favorite,
With no odds to derive
A man he could depend on.
To take a final dive.
The fight went off as scheduled
And a battle did ensue.
With both men throwing punches
The best way that they knew,
Then came that crucial round,
He had awaited patiently.
The round to end all rounds,
Of strife and poverty.
His man charged like a tiger,
To receive that fatal blow.
Undaunted by the friendship of,
His smiling friend below.
Then that something happened,
As happen it always will
The interposing hand of fate,
That make the chances nil.
The caution and the strategy
They previously contrived.
Proved to be worthless when,
The wrong man took that dive.
by Dick Madison
If you think you're a gambler
And rely on luck to win.
I want to tell a story that-
You're bound to hear again.
It's about a gambling friend
I knew some years ago.
Who swore he knew a little,
About all there is to know.
He thought he had a method,
A sure-fire thing at that.
To keep his girl friend happy,
And make his billfold fat.
He knew a punch-drunk fighter,
A ready, willing bait.
He felt he could match against,
The odds he knew as fate.
His man was a slight favorite,
With no odds to derive
A man he could depend on.
To take a final dive.
The fight went off as scheduled
And a battle did ensue.
With both men throwing punches
The best way that they knew,
Then came that crucial round,
He had awaited patiently.
The round to end all rounds,
Of strife and poverty.
His man charged like a tiger,
To receive that fatal blow.
Undaunted by the friendship of,
His smiling friend below.
Then that something happened,
As happen it always will
The interposing hand of fate,
That make the chances nil.
The caution and the strategy
They previously contrived.
Proved to be worthless when,
The wrong man took that dive.
What sub-type of article is it?
Ballad
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Satire Society
What keywords are associated?
Gambling
Fixed Fight
Fate
Punch Drunk Fighter
Boxing Match
Cautionary Tale
What entities or persons were involved?
By Dick Madison
Poem Details
Title
A Gambler's Chance . . .
Author
By Dick Madison
Subject
Cautionary Tale Of A Fixed Fight Gone Wrong
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets
Key Lines
If You Think You're A Gambler
And Rely On Luck To Win.
I Want To Tell A Story That
You're Bound To Hear Again.
Then That Something Happened,
As Happen It Always Will
The Interposing Hand Of Fate,
That Make The Chances Nil.
The Caution And The Strategy
They Previously Contrived.
Proved To Be Worthless When,
The Wrong Man Took That Dive.