It’s a shiny building – Lakes

I saw it on the news

The thought of it makes many quake

As far as I’m concerned it blocks better views

Everyone has their idea of heaven on Earth – and hell

This is for me the latter

But that great big building for so many casts its spell

The news reporters today picked up on the chatter

A couple excited to enter but then dismayed

Saying the secondhand cigarette smoke would keep them away

A woman named Peggy said she loves it there

Despite January and on camera, her bosom was bare

The clip later showed a friend pulling her off the slot machine

Her eyeballs were green

Another woman in a wheelchair named Snowflake

Said today she won more money than she could ever make

The mayor was caught at the table playing Roulette

Other city officials played the slots

The city’s youth was at the claw game

Everyone giving all they’ve got

A fire broke out in the Lakes building

One no one inside could see

Shrilling

Lights glimmering

Smoke fuming

Men and women whimpering

The firemen showed up but they got trapped by the smoke

A whole city ablaze

It was all a joke

24 hours of a bottomless pit

Just enough give to make one feel legitimate

As his and her pockets empty

The machines are fed

Dollar signs exchanging

Through empty heads

The newscasters watch

They report

As the couple still breathes despite the secondhand smoke

And Peggy loses all

Snowflake works it and has a ball

Public servants squandering

Children lost

No one counted the cost

The camera zooms out and there’s a billboard there:

“Call this number if someone has a gambling problem and you care”

Workers come and paint over the sign

Covering it with the Lakes’ emblem

Don’t waste a dime

The casino booms

Everyone who enters is consumed

Who ends up thriving

A never satisfied fire: gambling

The newscasters go on rambling

Camera rolling

Reporters and news networks smiling