Poker - more on "Dat Metaphor"

Luck.  Patience.  Skill.  Luck.
After several years study of the art of poker
He concluded it was a metaphor for life
... Sort of.

Made up of 4 equal components
The first and last being the same
And therefore a lot more equal

Luck borne from the deal of life
You begin with two  certain "cards"
Your environment and your attributes
Face down, your "pocket" is the beginning

Patience drives your ability to moderate
To play your cards when the time is right
To play your life, "pushing" when there is opportunity
Pulling back, "folding" to see another day and a better chance
When you see that the time is wrong

Skill becomes strength
And at times weakness
Out of periodic self doubt
Over time it keeps you in the game longer

Luck again surfaces
And drives the "Beat"
The rhythm of your life
Sometimes taking you to the "Final Table"
A long and satisfying road
But then sometimes it takes you to the "Felt"
An early demise

When you are "felted"
You get back up
Parlay the four components again
Renew the cycle
Shuffle the deck
Reload optomism and hope

(See also: Pocket Aces - "Dat Metaphor")

("Pushing - to bet all your remaining chips - to go "all in". "Pocket" - your first two cards in Texas Hold-em, dealt face down. The remaining five cards are shared by all players.  "Beat" - the way the cards fall - if you spend time pulling a lot of bad cards, they say you are experiencing a "Bad beat".  "Final Table" - Tournaments typically begin with multiple tables - when all but ten players are eliminated they convene at the "Final Table" where there is typically a graduated pay-off for each of the ten spots. "Felt" - when a player is wiped out and has no more chips.  All that remains in front of him is the felt that typically covers the table.)