I was watching TV the other day
when I saw an ad that caused me dismay
It featured an athlete who thought he should try
to convince young and old of sports bet to buy.

It struck me as strange that an athlete who’s rich
could be enticed with more money to pursue this pitch.
Let’s analyse this cluster, what might we conclude,
about the person and motive of something so shrewd.

I’ve read much about the dangers of gambling,
the risks of addiction, your family’s dismantling.
The issue that I find causes me to fret,
these our kids’ heroes convincing them to bet.

If Connor McDavid thinks gambling is great,
why wouldn’t the kids all eat off his plate?
It’s a sad day for all when those who should pay,
are given free passes because of their sway.

So we look in other places to fill in the gaps
and pull out the vulnerable ‘cause they fall for the traps.

Ken Eshpeter, August 2024