if i had a
longer
attention
span
and could
stand my
characters
beyond
two pages
or
maintained
interest in
the plot
beyond
the exposition
or could
write
more than three
words per line
i’d be a
novelist
and you’d read
my novels
keep them
at eye level
on your shelves
quote lines to
seem erudite
recommend them
to friends

too bad
the distance
between
IF and your
shelves
has already
defeated me.