Three Poems by Caleb Leow

Casino II

A short stretch of purgatory
between our suite and the restaurant.
Six times a day we had to make the crossing,
through blood red carpets, faux gold pillars;
don’t forget the wretched noises 
from God knows where,
the panels of light strobing infernally.

Pure torture — I mean, we were just kids! 
Trying to make our way between
two halves of a ship. 
                       One, two, three! 
we’d scream before rushing in, 
bouncing and colliding towards the exits,
as if falling through one big pinball machine.

Casino IV

‘Whichever way we decide, there are risks.’

Citizen, you’ll never understand House
if you think of it in ontic terms. Don’t name me
such-and-such a statistical law, this or that shady
bookmaker, or rows upon rows of rigged machines.

House is the presence that allows all houses to come
into being. Even this house is but one of House’s
many wagers, on which it has staked our nation’s
savings. Fear not though: House always wins.

Casino V

‘The Monaco of the East’

When in Aden, do as the addicts do. 
When in Boo, do as the bookies do.
When in Cairo, do as the K’high rollers do.
When in Dubai, do as the dubious do. 
When in Elista, do as the elitists do.
When in Fort Hunt, do as the fortune-hunters do.
When in Gambia, do as the gamblers do.
When in Huguo, do as the jugadores do.
When in Imperia, do as the imperials do.
When in Jaipur, do as the jeopardisers do
When in Knokke, do as the knockoffs do.
When in Las Vegas, do as the last vagrants do.
When in Monaco, do as the monarchists do.

Addicts, bookies, K’high-rollers, dubious ones,
elitists, fortune-hunters, gamblers, jugadores,
imperials, jeapordisers, knockoffs , last vagrants, 
monarchists: when in my country, do as you do.

Caleb Leow is a poet from Singapore. He has work in or forthcoming from Oxford Poetry, Poetry London, The London Magazine, and berlin lit. His debut pamphlet, The Hoarders, is out with Smith|Doorstop.