I.
Have you ever traveled beyond the strip?
To where the land meets the sky with no jagged interceptions and nobody looks up,
For fear of meeting the eyes that follow them.
Past New York, past Paris, past Venice, past Rome,
Past Fremont street, past the highway.
Over the hills and far away.
Thataway.
That's where I wanna be.
I see that and I'm set.

II.
Excuse me ma'm, what time is it?
It's 9 am.

III.
Johnny Coburn goes all in.
Lady Liberty stands over him, constitution in one hand, champagne in the other.
She checks the cards.

IV.
Welcome to Vegas, welcome to Vegas!
You're betting on paradise, what've you got to lose?

V.
2 apples one orange.
2 apples one peach.
1 cherry 1 apple 1 peach.
1 cherry 1 apple 1 peach.

VI.
Lily Dobbins is 6 years old,
She stares at the ground.
No windows, the carpet is a little weird.
It isn't right to trap a child.
She sees 2 cherries 1 peach.
She sees 3 cherries, not consecutive.
1 cherry 1 apple 1 peach.
She hums it.
1 cherry 1 apple 1 peach.
Young lady, don't look.
Young lady, keep moving.
"But where are the drugs? Where is the gore?" She wonders.
She runs, it's worse than those.

VII.
Excuse me ma'm, what time is it?
It's 9 a.m.

VIII.
I met a guy once who came to visit.
It wasn't business or pleasure.
It's the most sincere place in America, he told me.
No courtesy, no milkshakes, no midnight moons, no Grand Canyon, no House of Representatives.
Just us, naked, raw, shivering, ridiculous Americans.
We implore you, God, let us be judged.

IX.
I saw the desert.
We shouldn't be here.

X.
Lily Dobbins stared when the lady threw in her car keys.
We shouldn't be here.

XI.
Excuse me ma'm, what time is it?
It's 9 am.

XII.
Lady Liberty collected her dues.
Johnny Coburn melted.

XIII.
Welcome to Vegas.

XIV.
It's 9 am.

XV.
I saw a sign today.
"Desert. That way"
But I'm not sure if it's the right direction because a homeless man was holding it.
Maybe I'll make it out there, who knows.
Or I'll end up like all the others, and my blood will be sugar for neon lights.