A Promise

Man sleeping in the street in Toronto (Photo by author)

I will take a shower and cut my hair

Wash my feet and trim my toenails

Shave my souped-up beard

And floss my teeth

I will change my sheets

And buy new socks

I will sweep up all the fag ends

I will open my windows and wash the floor

Chisel away the congealed fat from the cooker

And put away the rubbish

I will take the newspapers to the paper-recycling bin

The empty bottles to the bottle bank

I will open the windows to let the fresh air in

And wash the window panes so I can see outside

I will hoover the carpet and dust the mantelpiece

I will remove the dead cat from under the bed

And bury her in the garden.

I solemnly promise to do all this

The day the wars stop

The day the walls come down

The day Jews and Arabs stop killing each other

The day Shias and Sunnis stop calling each other heretics

The day Catholics and Protestants pray in the same church

The day Hindus and Muslims embrace each other.

Or the day Trump snuffs it,

Whichever comes first…

That day I will take a shower and cut my hair…