At the baccarat table
players
bend
cards
into paper swans
cranes, airplanes, exquisite origami sculptures
one delicate, deliberate fold at a time before tossing
them back with disgust at the dealer, as if they
were spoiled meat or unwanted girl children.
James Joseph Brown is a former ESL teacher, Peace Corps volunteer, National Park Ranger and go-go dancer. He received an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he currently performs stand-up comedy and works as a casino dealer on the Las Vegas Strip.
