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 beautiful. It touches you

as if you had a friend and sunlight were a present

sent from someplace distant as this morning — to cheer you up,

and to remind you that, among your duties, pleasure is a thing

that also needs accomplishing.

(Tony Hoagland, 1953-2018)