Once, Before the Jackpot

There were so many moments,
Then, and the later it grew,
The better you knew that, if,

As early as tomorrow,
The thing finally happened,
There would always be more once,

Before, than there were any
Once, after. You could collect
More afters than you’d dreamed of

When you were young and careless
About previous versus
Subsequent, and still you’d feel

The wings were tilted, you were
Banking, just that little bit
Left after the jackpot, but

So much, so many moments
Yawning into view below,
All sprawled that was before it.