(Past) Notice (Due)

When do you decide

To decide

To return

A library book. . .

When your instinct causes you to check the date?

When the reminder arrives in your email?

After the first renewal?

The second?

I have a ‘no fee’ card.

I can ignore the dates.

I will not be fined,

At least not officially.

The question is what

Did I find?

Could I not find?

Between quick and slow flipped pages.

No one will notice

Send notice

Notice me,

My decision

Or lack thereof.

Notice

I pretend.

Skimming special turns of phrase.

I admire when someone else

Can tell the story better.

Notice

I avoid.

Disengaging chapters that drag too long.

I question that someone else

Believed the story worth telling.

Notice

I should

I’m done,

I cannot admit

Notice past

(Due) Fault in the story that brought me to the pages

(Due) Fault in the pages that brought the story to me

Past notice

Due

Give notice

Due

A date or another kind

No one will notice

Send notice

Notice me,

My decision

Or lack thereof.

One book. Fives books.

Dust jackets

Covered in dust.

Until I admit

Why I chose

Why I can't finish

What?

Is in the past (due)

Long over (due)

Notice.