Length of days

"He didn't look after 'imself,"
The undertaker says
Describing a man of 42
Who smoked
And drank hard drink and strong coffee.

Looking after yourself,
He described with a certain emphasis, as
"eat good food"
"drink lots of water"
"and get rest - not sleep".

He made it sound like washing the car,
Flossing your teeth,
Or saving monthly.

But I realised as the undertaker spoke,
A man who feels the grim reality of death each day,
Like a fine dry paste in his fingers,
That something as simple as looking after ourselves
Might determine
Our length of days.