The Tyranny of Book Lists

The list gets longer and longer,
all the must reads, the profound,
the erudite, the astounding turn
of words, the layers of meaning.
I’m exhausted.
Midnight’s Children,
The Metamorphosis, The Penal
Colony and other Stories
sit at the top of the stairs.
GoodReads reminds me of the
countless books waiting to be
read, calling out to be
fully savored. Reading them
will make me a better person,
enrich my understanding of
the cultural diversity across the
globe. I’m exhausted.
Instead, I went to the library
and picked up two novels
which would be immediately adjacent
to my book, if I had written one,
in the fiction section.
I plan to enjoy The Guide and The CEO
about a fly fisherman taking a CEO
out for a fishing trip, and
My Favorite Midlife Crisis (yet),
further description not needed.
I’m feeling better already.