
Jørn Earl Otte
April 2nd -- Poem #2
In honor of National Poetry Month, I give you my second poem, which is about lists. Enjoy.

To do
My favorite thing to do
it seems is to make lists of my favorite things
to do
or of the minor things that must be done
but no matter the value of the items
on the list
it is the list
itself
that brings me delicious joy
on the cold white electric paper, I have
traveled the ripe world climbed mountains swam with dolphins
been to every DisneyLandWorldExperience
and of course humbly won multiple literary awards
I also have to make sure the trash is collected
the blue living room carpet replaced
the light fixtures purchased
the lawn mowed
then I must
learn how to play the piano
learn a mysterious new language
learn an old poem by heart
it is the list that makes it all real
not just a courageous bright green painful thought in my head
it is also the list that makes it cowardly and yellow and small
because it is not difficult to write it down
it is red hot sweat-stained blood-stained painful
to have been strong enough to have a list that has had things
scratched off
but I suppose in the end it is also the list that mocks what has rudely not been done
and shames me into thinking that
I need to make a new list
and get things done
1.