Smoking my six-hundredth last cigarette 
Out of the studio sky-light 
Watching the ash as it rolls down the roof 
Leaving a trail of grey-white 

All through its short life it gives of itself 
Giving and giving and slowly diminishing 
Until there isn't a crumb of it left 
It no longer is, it's a snowball in negative 

Wandering home along Marlborough Road 
I realize in amazement 
That I have been, for how long I don't know, 
Avoiding the cracks in the pavement 

All through this short life we give of ourselves 
Giving and giving and slowly diminishing 
Leaving a mark that will gradually fade 
Ash in the breeze, snowballs in negative