“Take a breath.  Make a wish.
          Count to three…”
                                           — Gene Wilder

Before every penultimate
comes the turn.

Before each climax
comes the gasp.

                       We are here
at our moment, before
our moment, before
that life

    that follows
        that life

        we’ve known
    So far.

Don’t live there
    yet; don’t rush
         it into being.

        Let yourself:
    Feel this.
Know this.

                    Breathe
                        deep

                 the scent
            of this

present

perfection.