La malattia del gioco

( the disease of the game )

A bar needs a blot

A checker needs a roll

A gambler needs the action

To pacify his soul

A builder needs a point

A sniper longs to shoot

A runner needs a gauntlet

To guide him on his route

Anchors need true patience

A gammon wants a cube

Fair dice yearn to travel

Around a hollow tube

A bearoff needs a bathtub

An entry covets hope

A backgame needs a hangman

With abundant hanks of rope

Timing needs the future

Though blitzes want the past

Prime to prime needs subtlety

To make a victory last

A chouette claims a box

A tourney demands a boss

Addicts need a triple game

To offset that big loss

An outfield craves control

A home board needs to crunch

A twin hit begs attention

Then makes dinner out of lunch

The pip count pines for races

The market fears what’s lost

One man’s smoky fly-shot life

Will never know the cost

A prisoner needs a prime

A young blitz needs a dance

Lady Luck wants another fool

Someone to romance

— Baron Gossett Euler PhD (2010)