You know, uno.

The thing about draw twos

Is it's always personal.

Each person stares

At the person to their right.

Wondering,

Did I offend them tonight?

My eyes say,

Don't come for me.

My mind says,

What's their strategy.

I notice the smile.

Trying so hard

To feign disinterest as they

Casually discard a card.

But I see it.

That card where they pause

Stroke chin, then skip.

Choosing not to serve sauce.

His wheels are turning.

If he serves it, it has to be right.

He doesn't want to regret it

At the end of the night.

Too soon,

He makes enemies.

Too late,

He sacrifices hegemony.

We all feel the power,

In his hands

Power to disrupt

Each of our plans.

I'm nearest to the blast zone.

I've been on a run

Had a train and a double

Getting me closer to one.

Across from me, a novice.

Who's had a stroke of luck.

Aim that missile at her.

And she will surely be

Stuck in a battle with

The person on my other side.

Knowing they stand to gain

From a potential draw-two-icide.

His turn again.

And now I know it's on.

By the way he preps

His throwing arm.

With number cards,

You throw them away.

They rarely hit the pile

Usually, stay in disarray.

But to throw a draw two,

You need to grab it from the top,

And pull it straight up

With a flourish and a pop.

You lean forward to get leverage

Some may even stand

Other arm moves to chest

To protect the rest of your hand.

Down comes the card

With prejudice so extreme

It smacks the table and the soul

Crushing all hopes and dreams

And then civility kicks in

You have home training after all

So you rearrange the pile

Neatly stacking cards tall.

This was my fate.

draw two, he says, finishing his turn.

Sliding me the deck with casual indifference

I knew that was meant to burn

But lo and behold

The rules say

There's a way to postpone

What you're indebted to pay.

First game my hand

Was so disappointing

But the second game around

I had a new anointing.

I look over to my left

Shift forward in my seat

And with a flourish

I serve the ultimate heat.

He made me draw two,

But before I do,

I choose to throw down

Two draw twos on you!

My last two cards

It's Uno and I'm out

And I've left the last three

Chasing my clout.

One person draws six

As one lets cards drop.

And one sits incredulous

That I came out on top.

That’s the game

If you know, you know.

There is no mercy

In Uno.