Poetry Monday: My Bucket List

It's Poetry Monday, and this week's topic is . . . . . our BUCKET LIST.

Join Diane, MotherOwl, Mimi and me as we pour out our thoughts on this topic in poetic form. You can leave your poem in the comments or post on your own blog; if you do the latter, please leave a comment so we can find you. Use the topic, or choose another; the idea is to have fun and work our thinkers; we don't get all tied in knots about rules in this poetry challenge :)

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I have, on occasion, contemplated what I would have on my Bucket List.

But as yet, I haven't found much of interest to put on that list, so this week's topic presents a bit of a challenge.

My hope for the time between now and my demise is just to live as long as I can, as healthily as I can, and then swan out of life with as little pain and inconvenience as possible.

Of course, I know that isn't likely to happen. I remember reading years ago that only 2% of the population dies peacefully in their sleep. Can one put "die peacefully and painlessly in my sleep" on a Bucket List?? I don't think that's the way it works.

Am I lacking in ambition, imagination, or motivation? Or all three? I don't know.

All I know for sure is that I've had a cold all week, so this poem is rather clunky because my brain isn't working at peak or even half capacity. My apologies in advance.


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I Guess There Is Something I'd Like To Do . . .

Folks nowadays often have a Bucket List
Of things they don't want to have died and missed
They do not wish to fade into the dark
Before they've ticked off everything
                    (or at least a majority of things) with a great big check mark . . .

Me? My Bucket List is non-existent
Travel is out, for at home I'm content
I don't have the desire to improve myself
So I won't be taking college classes
                    or running marathons or creating an empty shelf * . . .

There is no unfinished business in my life
No words unsaid, no unmended inter-personal strife
(I say what I need to when the chance is had
And my yardstick for behavior is to ask myself:
                    if I do this thing (or don't), will I later feel bad **) . . .

Granted, my needs and wants are few
I'm happy with home and hearth, it's true
That makes it easier to be happy with what I've got
And it doesn't hurt that I'm fortunate enough
                    to have gotten, relatively speaking, quite an awful lot . . .

Clean water, food, clothing and a roof
I'm luckier than many - a sad truth
Books and a bit of nature in my back yard
Are icing on the cake for a life that's been
                    very easy compared to so many lives that are hard . . .

If you have a Bucket List please do not fear
That I, having none, am judging you, my dear
We are all different and that is a beautiful thing
I invite you to divulge your list through writing
                    or interpretative dance or maybe you could sing . . .

And - OH! - I just came up with an item for my list
I need to point it out in case my shocking lack you missed
Before I die I want to rhyme a verse just as I ought
Instead of having every fourth line rhymed
                    by way of a long and meandering thought . . .
       



* Having an empty shelf somewhere in your home is one recommendation of some declutter gurus. It's supposed to provide a feeling of spaciousness or some other benefit that I can't quite remember now because it didn't make much sense to me when I read it. Actually, decluttering is one way I really could improve myself, if the truth be told. There are a dozen others, and in Real Life I'm acutely aware of them, but in Poetry Land I take liberties.

** This part is true, in case I've just made you question my honesty.

Kitty considers his bucket list. Number one: No water in the bucket please. Number two: Getting out of the bucket.         (Photo: Pixabay)

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So how about you? What's on your Bucket List?

Wishing you a bucketful of good things in your life this week :)

Next week's Poetry Monday topic will be ........... SOAP.  Good luck!