An Ill-Timed Epiphany

Blink....

... recognize THAT precise
inopportune moment of regrettable
Awareness;
that singularly timeless second you realize
it's too late
... that on the other side of
THIS useless epiphany is an
End Game.

Breath... 

and fear the moment when ...
reborn with the irrefutable knowledge that
beyond this eleventh hour
the descent begun,
karmic dealers show their last hand
during your final thrashing seconds,
... as your last thought is
a match struck
too late.