The Church of Pool: A poem by Brian Kuenning (Special K)

The Church of Pool

The unholy wisdom of gambling, chock-full of heart

The relentless dedication to the craft, which you will never perfect

The shit-talking, the egos, standing in stark contrast to the most humbling of games

A concentration game done in the midst of endless distractions

The drinking, the drugs, the pretty waitresses, the loud music blaring, the TVs broadcasting

People going outside to smoke….and do other things….

The hooting, the hollering, the reactions on their faces

The raised eyebrows when you know damn well, he didn’t just make that shot

Crossing the barrier of those glass double doors as I see nothing but action inside,

Surprised I didn’t burst into flames when I cross the border

“They still let you in here?!?!” “You’re goddamn right they do!!!!” “My money's good anywhere!”

Meeting people from all walks of life, especially the riff-raff

The few brilliant seconds it takes to line everything up before you fire that ball in…

The strategy not just in the game, but in how you talk, in how you walk up to a potential opponent

That satisfying click, click, click of the balls….

The sense that, once this game is in you, it just doesn’t leave…

I was a great bowler, used to bowl perfect games,

I quit bowling as soon as I found pool.  Ya….It’s like that….

The side bets, the side deals, seeing people who just can’t take it, walk out,

Another one bites the dust….

The roaring laughter, the rounds of shots, knowing that that match right there is going to be talked about for weeks!!!!  The whole mood shifted after that one…

The unyielding charm and one-liners of pool hustlers

You just can’t get this anywhere else, folks!

Maintaining the stillness of the body, while the stroke is in motion

The tightness of the pockets making the balls rattle,

The impossible aiming of round objects, the feel of the speed and the acceleration of the stroke through the cue ball

The grip of the tip as it forces the cue ball to spin

A sacred game like this can afford, that’s right, it can afford to include all the wretchedness and still be great. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

It all makes ya just think, you gotta put some money up and see where you stand!!!!

“Gotta risk it for the biscuit!!!!” as they say… in a pool hall somewhere near you,

There’s churches all over the world, with no steeples

You don’t even have to believe in anything, matter of fact, I’m more likely to see you there if ya don’t!!!!

Just get your game right and we’ll knock ‘em around……