Campus Police Office

What is a list poem? This poetry style collects a list of people, places, things, ideas, or even words strung together somewhere within a poem to form a list. It is not necessary for the list to rhythm, but the words used should be memorable. I find the freedom when creating a list poem fascinating. The wordplay can be wild and free similar to Indiana weather in the early spring. Therefore, in March, I plan to write a series of list poems. I will title this one Campus Police Office.

Campus Police Office

Turn the key in the outside door

Walk into the dark

Across the floor

Past lockers

A gun safe

The lost and found property cabinet

Flip the switch

Your daily routine and habit

Let there be light

Put on your face mask

Open the front counter window

Hope the temperature stays above 20 degrees

Or else you are going to freeze

Log onto your computer

Handle morning parking issues

Don’t forget to hand out the tissues

Because someone is going to cry

They would rather shed tears than file an appeal

Thinking it is going to get them some where

Not realizing the years have made me immune.

Officer straggle in one by one

Switch on the radio

And call in to dispatch.

Giving their badge numbers

Claiming to be on duty

They all have important places to go

Like breakfast at a local restaurant

I take in lost and found

A school ID

A cell phone

A wallet found lying on the gound

I contact the owner when I can

The constant radio squawk

Police flowing in and out

With a lot of talk

All day long I pretend not to hear

The countless stories that will never be known

I get along well as long as I understand

I am not the police

And I never will be

Who is Molly Shea?

Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh.  To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.

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