Cut for the deal with shaking hand
Fate tossed the low card to me
so he shuffled the cards slow
grinning wide to show the teeth
sharpened to points and long fangs
his forked tongue tracing their lines
as he smiled and made the challenge
"First Corner costs a soul".
I could not back out having already agreed
to a game for the terms of first dealer's choice
so I gritted my teeth, and waited calmly
as he dealt six placards face down
each sliding before me with icy chill
yet when I picked them up for the hand
two to toss stood out so fast and sure
I almost questioned my sanity.
Tossing them with a grin into his crib
I asked for Lady Luck or the Saints
to bless my chance of the moment
and blast me to the sky if they didn't
as the five of clubs Ol' Scratch turned over
I led with a fiver, he dropped a knave
to peg first for the fifteen smiling wickedly
until I dropped the Right Jack down my two.
He played an ace next thinking I held faces
only to watch me reset the clock
sinking another five to make thirty-one
as fear took his face wonder if I had it.
His lead was ten bloody hearts
so I dropped the five to his dismay
and he frowned dropping the four
knowing I was around the corner.
So here is my advice if you care to take it.
If the Devil comes round to play Cribbage
Don't bet your soul, for that High Hand is rare
and he hates letting folks free of the flames of Hell.
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