Klaus Høeck: 'Åndelig øvelse 2' (Heptameron)

 

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mental exercise

number two

go out and have a

shave (if you are

a woman omit

this) eat your

kefir in peace
and quiet and light

the day’s first cigarette

then cut away

the withered tulips

and inhale deeply their

deadly scent 

 

 

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refrain from

shouting amen

or halleluja

do not dress

in yellow do not

stand on your head

for half an hour

do not read paul’s

first epistle to

timothy (wait with

that until it’s evening)

do not torment your

self with vegetarian food 

 

 

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sit down instead

at the well-decked

lunch table with

both roast pork

caviar and your

own last-supper dressing

drink

without a

bad conscience

both two beers three snapses and

your own sacra

ment cocktail

in short accept

god’s gifts 

 

 

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do not attempt

to save the world

do not write

any reader’s letters

do not sign up for

 the cat protection society

do not believe that the colour

black has

anything to do

with death (believe it

if you can’t help

yourself) stop

showing off all day long 

 

 

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just try

dammit for a single

moment to be

happy to be

alive (for at least

as long as this exercise

lasts) say loud

and clear to your

wife: i love you

(stop sitting there

mumbling at

that) try showing

a little gratitude