{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Episode 131: House Band at a Casino","description":"I've spent almost no time in casinos, and given my awareness of my luck at games of chance there's a good reason why. However, I have been a working musician on and off over the years and many of my friends are full-time working musicians (damn good too). So I respect the hustle and the need to pay rent and furthermore just to perform (hi, I have a poetry podcast, whatsup). So with all that in mind, I give you this week's debut of "House Band at a Casino." OH - quick note that this week's poem has the theme music I created for the podcast playing underneath the poem itself. Seemed like a neat thing to do, a little experiment. If I had more time to devote to the podcast I'd figure out how to record something fresh to lay under the reading each week. But now I'm just rambling.  If you've read this far, you seem to have some interest in this podcast. Thanks for that, I appreciate it! This is more than a one-way communication, though. Your feedback is important to me. Did you like a particular rhyme scheme? Did a topic strike your fancy and you'd like to hear more poems like that? Did you absolutely hate something I read and worry that I might inflict a similar poem on you in the future? How should I know? That's where you come in. There are so many ways to get back to me: Leave a comment on my blog Comment on the Tumblr post Comment on Libsyn @ me on Twitter (@Lefthandrob) Like, comment, share on my Facebook page Visit my Instagram page Rate and review in your podcast app After listening to the podcast (or while listening), visit one of these sites and donate for the cause, because All Black Lives Matter and my fellow white (and cis) people we need to get in the game: Donate to Black Lives Matter Donate to the Souther Poverty Law Center Donate to the Equal Justice Initiative Transgender Law Center The poems will continue to flow, but so must the Justice.   House Band at a Casino The dichotomy of the soul That must exist for the lounge singer That unknown musician on stage at the casino,   the house band in a house built on a sketchy grasp of math But the split must run deep For they ply their trade Express their talent and speak their vocation   But to a largely disaffected audience who are otherwise consumed By greed or addiction Rare is the soul who just pops in to hear the house band play Thank you, house band. Play on. ","author_name":"Left Hand Poetry","author_url":"http:\/\/www.robertcmurray.com","html":"