Today’s prompt challenged me to write a “to-do list” poem. I’ll admit, I balked at it initially. Actually, I messaged my Poetry BFF Ben something along the lines of “blech, boring, and ugh; it’s a terrible prompt day!”

As the day progressed, however, the idea grew on me. I would not call this a stellar work of poetry, but it was fun, contained more than a wee bit of truth, and ended up being just plain old enjoyable to write.

Enjoy!

24 Hours in a Day

Exhausted before I even began
my day stretched out ahead 
of me like a long ribbon 
of autobahn winding for miles 
across the beautiful landscape.

(The flowers blooming, the birds chirping, and the sun shining—)

I digress, the list must commence
So here it is without pretense:

1. Fill the feeders to bring on spring

2. Head to jewelers to drop my ring

3. Call mom and chat while on the way 

4.  Grab the charger in entryway

5. After store head home for a break

6. Make coffee, sit down, bake a cake

7. Don’t forget to mop up the floor

8. clean the counters to work my core 

9. Take a shower, shave hairy legs 

10. Grab a quick snack of scrambled eggs

11. Check in on time for your meeting 

12. Be sure to smile, give a greeting 

13. Afterward please do walk the dogs 

14. Chop the wood and stack up the logs

15. (Kidding, it’s spring—no need for fires!)

16. By now it’s noon: go get new tires

17. Go to Stahl’s and shop for dinner 

18. Tell fam to call it a “winner”

19. Meet with Annie and have some tea

20. Take time to breathe and simply be

21. Do the dishes (it’s nightfall now)

22. Follow the prompt and write somehow

23. Straighten the room, turn out the lights

24. Kiss all my dears and say good night


--draft poem by Carla Jeanne Picklo Jordan

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Share the love, write a poem, appreciate a good friend. Each moment is a new beginning.