All Hallows' Chores

All Hallows' Chores

Get out of bed as soon as day breaks,
when most are still sleeping,
enjoy breakfast on smoking coffee
while listening to the headlines.
Peacefully gather your thoughts.

Once wide awake, take a knife, old but sharp, go outside,
cut the grass out of the asphalt cracks by the gate,
trim the twigs bending down over the iron fence,
sweep the leaves on the sidewalk in front of the house,
so that pedestrians won't tread them around.

When done, have a good look at the sky,
to guess when it could start to rain,
give your puppy a cuddle and take him inside with you,
hand him a treat and pour yourself a glass of red,
sit in the armchair and wait for the soup to be ready.

Rest in the afternoon, groove on the evening.
Take it easy, make it last, suffice, there's no do-over,
for the Saints are stingy and used to playing hard to get.
They revel once a year and bestow blessings just today,
but the path is long and winter's yet far from beginning.