Hunger

young and old
they sit at the slot machines
oblivious to the equation
that runs the place
useless to warn them
tell them that they're getting the shaft
not for them
the conventional truth
that the house always wins
convinced that the passage of time
will bring about the opposite result
they behave like rats on cocaine
pulling that lever again and again
with small breaks for coffee
and steakhouse bacon
at the buffet

it's all you can eat

Author notes: https://allpoetry.com/contest/2784868-Word-Bank--5- word bank prompt: behave, passage, young, opposite, bacon, warn, overall, equation, slot, conventional, shaft, truth