the cups stand in front of you
its a same game of skill
but when life throws a twist in it
you no longer get that thrill

the thrill of taking chances, the thrill of winning the game
for this was taken from you, now the odds are always the same
you stand no chance, but yet you try
and some day I hope you find your goal, set to high in the sky

you keep reaching up, attempting what you shall fail
but in the end with hope and truth, the game you shall prevail
you know he is a cheater but still you throw no punch
but then you start a thinking and come up with a hunch

he asks a’ where the balls a’ hidin,  as if its a simple guess
but this is no simple game, nor one of skill, for you can surely play chess
so sip the sweet to strongly, and accustom to it you shall grow
but forever eating bitter, and the sweet you shall never know

so if you are a’ thinkin this cheats got this game set and done just try and guess again
cuz this cheat never gonna see the true game to the end
he got lost somewhere along the way, as almost once happened to you
but then someone came and took your hand and cuddled close to you

so happiness was once again found, by you the tragic case
the man on the corner shall never know the feeling of the smile, you show upon your face
his pain he is a’ hidin cuz he thinks you’ll never know
that he feelings like the breeze as swinging to and fro

so let him win his game, and don’t call him a cheat, but take it all in stride
and one day his odds you’ll meet
for even with his cheating, you know were the true thing he’s a hidin is just like the ball beneath the shell
he given you a place to look, and sure that’s great and swell

but your expected to think its hidden in a common place
but ya know its in his hand, and now its time for his disgrace
so he asks you once again a’ where the ball is hidin
and with a smile upon your face and an answer you’ll soon be priding

you tell him it is under none, and hidden far away
were no one will ever see it, and he wants it to stay that way
for then he always beat you, he never has to lose
but now his jaw drops slowly down, his odds you seemed to take

his takes a moment and slowly sees that one day he’d make a mistake
but he didn’t think it was today, nor tomorrow would bring the truth
for he ad hidden away that treasure so well, he had done it since his youth
then some boy comes along and hits him but not with force or fist

but he slowly took down your walls but didn’t come in
just stared and smiled and left
you see his shadow dragging upon the starched red ground
for the sun is a’ settin and no where he’ll be found

so as I walk into the setting sun, I slowly consider today’s fun, for in a way you bested me
but in the end I bested thee
for you stood slack jawed gaping wide, your eyes wide open, hands at your side
and as your little pebble dropped, I knew my words had made there mark

so slowly down this path I take, and ever more changes shall I make. For better and worse they shall be, but in the end I shall remain me. so don’t go a’ forcin or pointing out blame, for these actions always end in shame. Shame’s not a needed, nor is it that bad, but a smile is better then being sad.

Richard DeLong
4-18-98