Live by the List, Die with a List

You’re pretty anxious, aren’t you,
To get your projects finished,
Do some good, make your mark, raise kids?

Often, having accomplished
Some accomplishment you sought,
Some experience you craved,

The most valuable aspect
In retrospect is simply
That you experienced it

And can tell yourself you did.
Almost everyone agrees on this—
Hence, cliches—been there, done that,

Checked it off the bucket list.
It’s odd then, that you persist.