Las Vegas1 (P1 of 2)

(Part 1 of 2) "Brilliant desert jewel with your famous neon lights. How bright your countenance tonight. All the stars in heaven are not near so bright!" Your spotlight beams reflect upon the clouds dancing all along the strip, where busy players scamper up and down the boulevard, trying to squeeze a week of fun into a single night. How exhausting that must be! Here, the shifting sands, in lazy swirls connive to convince the touristy passersby that true love can be found here. But, Old Lady Luck never gives up much! In fact, she doesn't care. But she more likes to take away. She's ready 24 hours a day, straight, for always, although old Covid slowed her down-- but not for long. Anyone here will probably tell you, (but you'll have to ask), losing is still entertainment. I can see you, crusher of dreamers, crouched in the desert, amongst the sage and Joshua trees; standing, worshipping the still-buried bodies in the sandbox. You knew the lake would expand to cover your imponderable sins; but, not long enough, huh? And now, with passage of time, and the shrinking lake, some of your many sins, with their stinking corpses and their sad tragic stories, are told. (continued in Part 2)