From the Book of Outlines

I bound together what I was told I should bind
       together, and discarded what I was told
was no good. I marked notebooks for current
       affairs, for settled, for past due.
Many are filled to the very last page;
       but there are five journals that still 
look new and pristine. When bags overflowed 
       I put them before me so I could 
shred what needed to be shred by hand. 
       How many lifetimes are needed to put
one's affairs in order? I don't feel sorry 
       I have so many books, and cupboards full
of things that can make the mouth remember
       there's still pleasure in the world.