Intro Kitchen light buzzing over a folding table Plastic chips, old cards, coffee-stained labels Grown folks laughing, money on the line Didn’t know then I was watching time I was just a shadow by the hallway wall Didn’t touch the cards, didn’t play at all But I learned the sound of hope and fear From the way the room went quiet when luck came near ⸻ Verse 1 – Family Roots Dad shuffled cards like a magic trick Said, “Life’s a gamble, you gotta be slick” Uncles arguing over rules they made Winning small felt like getting paid Grandma near the door with a scratch-off grin Coins on the table, pencil tip thin “Just one more,” she’d say, laugh it away Sun went down, she stayed anyway Gramps at the track, watching horses run Told stories ’bout races he almost won Said, “Kid, you lose more than you gain But every now and then… lightning strikes again” Didn’t sound like danger, sounded like lore Didn’t see addiction, just folklore Didn’t know habits get passed like names Didn’t know love could teach you pain ⸻ Chorus – First Touch It felt harmless, it felt small Just background noise, nothing at all Didn’t feel a pull, didn’t see a snare Didn’t know temptation was already there Starts with laughs, ends with chains House don’t love you — house always wins ⸻ Verse 2 – First Participation Couple bucks on the table after school Just to sit in, just to look cool Lost my first hand, didn’t feel bad Won the second — felt something snap Heart sped up, face got warm Didn’t know dopamine rewired the norm Started thinking two steps ahead Felt smarter than the odds I read First ticket bought at the corner store Scratched too fast, bought two more Didn’t even care when I didn’t win I liked the pause before the spin Started saying, “It’s just for fun” Didn’t stop when the fun was done Didn’t know the brain keeps score Didn’t know “almost” hurts more ⸻ Chorus – Curiosity Grows It felt harmless, it felt small Just passing time, nothing at all Didn’t feel the hook, didn’t see the chain Didn’t know pleasure remembers names Starts with hope, ends with pain House don’t love you — house always wins ⸻ Verse 3 – Early Adult Wins First real job, first real pay First time I thought I found my way Poker nights turned into online play Same game, different lights, no time of day Won enough once to feel elite Thought I cracked some hidden code beneath Started watching hands, tracking tells Ignored the nights I didn’t sleep well Losses felt temporary, wins felt true Started believing what luck would do Said, “I’m disciplined, I know when to stop” Didn’t notice how often I didn’t stop Bills got paid, fridge stayed full So nobody questioned the rule I wore success like a mask so clean Didn’t see the cracks in between ⸻ Bridge – Shift Wins got smaller Losses got loud Silence filled the house ⸻ Verse 4 – The Slide Wedding photos, smiling wide Kids in the back seat, future bright Said I’d changed, said I’d grown But habits don’t disappear, they just change tone Played at night when the house was asleep Told myself, “This stress is deep” ATM runs, just a little short Promised tomorrow I’d rebalance the board Wife said, “You’re here but you’re gone” Eyes on the phone when I nodded along Missed first steps, missed first goals Chasing numbers instead of souls Birthday dinners, half-paid tabs Christmas gifts came with hidden math Some years good, most years tight Every smile held a silent fight ⸻ Chorus – Consequences It wasn’t harmless, it wasn’t small Started costing more than I could call Felt the hook, felt the chain Every win just fed the pain Starts with hope, ends the same House don’t love you — house always wins ⸻ Verse 5 – Isolation Started hiding statements, hiding screens Deleting apps, reinstalling schemes Every lie stacked on the last Future sold to fix the past Friends stopped calling, I stopped showing Didn’t want questions I couldn’t answer knowing Said I was busy, said I was tired Truth was I was fully wired Chasing losses like ghosts in fog Every bet felt close to God One big win, that’s all I need Didn’t see greed disguising as need Kids stopped asking where I’d been Wife stopped yelling, which hurt more then Silence louder than the fights Empty beds, longer nights ⸻ Bridge – Breaking Point (Spoken, raw, 30s) I swore I’d quit I meant it Every time
