John Agard
By All Means Bless
By all means
bless the cloth
that wiped
the face
of Jesus
By all means
bless the towel
that unfolds
an infant
like miraculous bread
By all means
bless the towel
the boxer returns to
- a brief harbour
after a harassing round
By all means
bless the sacred silk
that garbs
the sumo's
amplitude of loin
But I say this also
bless the towel
that unwraps
your buttocks
(fresh out of the shower)
with such casual ease
we overlook
life's small epiphanies