poem

Down near the bottom

of the crossed-out list

of things you have to do today,

between “green thread”

and “broccoli” you find

that you have penciled “sunlight.”

Resting on the page, the word

is as beautiful, it touches you

as if you had a friend

and sunlight were a present

he had sent you from some place distant

as this morning — to cheer you up,

and to remind you that,

among your duties, pleasure

is a thing,

that also needs accomplishing.

~ from “The Word,” by Tony Hoagland