a game of cards

slanting rays of light pour down
across and through the flight of stairs

men, gray hair smoking cigars
laugh loud, playing cards
five or seven cards each
with every one of the five
that sits around the table

it's only a familiar scene
when an old man smiles to himself
and throws the queen of spades
when the one sitting next
picks it up with a smile again

the cigar smoke rises up
and flies outside the window
along with the laughter
and the moments that
silently pass by