Doorbell, dog barking
A man, a city councilman, he says
campaigning for the mayoral candidate he thinks
I should vote for

I have not researched yet
besides seeing which neighbors
have signs for him and the other two
councilmen who want a promotion
to mayor.

This councilman, he gives me the door card he
would have hung on my doorknob
if I had been smarter
and not answered the door.
A shiny, slick card
a photo of a nice-looking man
and his wife of enough years
to say first wife
without saying first wife.

Then, at the bottom
the list – His Plan
He called it a plan
I love a good list
but this list…

For – police and fire departments
For – more jobs
For – more businesses
For – better infrastructure

But who is against any of that?

And when did being for something
become a plan?
Just a vague list of
Nice things
is not a plan
and keeping the status quo
may not be the best thing.

I should be a campaign manager –
I would have everyone recite
A list of nice things is not a plan
A list of nice things is not a plan
Politics are local
A plan is structure
A plan is methods
A plan is vigorous action
A plan is the means to hope.