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
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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What is Tecumseh?
It is fictional Indiana town I use in my writing.
What is it’s design Molly? And why you love it?