‚Today is the day!’, so I say to myself-
‘The very last pack’ as I look at the shelf
The girl in the shop takes my money- ‘Bye, bye’
And I light the first of the last which I buy.

Next morning however- my dog just has died;
I buy a new pack. Well- alright: So I lied…
It wasn’t the last pack at all. But so what?
The world will go on- if I smoke or do not…

The following week I decide to repeat
What I had attempted before. But I cheat:
My house- it burns down; so I go to the store
And while I am there I just buy me some more…

But then I decide that the time now has come
To try it in earnest- I still have got some
Of the cigarettes bought on the previous day-
So I just throw them out. ‘Try clean cut’, so I say.

The following morning I find a new world-
For during the night world war three has unfurled.
There’s nothing but ruins- but there is the store…
‘Still open’- I go and I buy me some more…

Two years now have passed, and I try once again.
But after two days it starts pouring. The rain
Keeps on splashing down, so I build a small boat
And I find that the store is alongside- afloat…