Every reader knows the feeling.
You walk into a bookstore or
browse online "just to look," and somehow another book finds its way
into your hands. Before long, your shelves are overflowing. The pile beside
your bed keeps growing. Your To Be Read (TBR) list stretches longer than ever.
Then you come across this
delightful poem:
The Books I Have Not Read
Here are the books I have not read
That I promised to read someday.
And who knows? Maybe after
Baseball games, circuses and taking naps.
Playing drums and building planes,
Drinking Cokes and telling jokes
And playing spin the bottle
And watching stars and driving cars
And getting married and working a job
And having kids and getting old
And getting fat and getting gray—
I may.
It's funny, light-hearted, and
surprisingly profound.
Who Wrote The Books I Have Not
Read?
The poem is by Arnold Lobel
(1933–1987), the beloved American children's author and illustrator best known
for the Frog and Toad series. The poem appears in his 1987 collection Whiskers
and Rhymes, published shortly before his passing.
Although written as a children's
poem, its message resonates just as deeply with adult readers.
A Poem About Life—and Books
At first glance, the poem seems to
be about procrastination.
The speaker promises to read the
books "someday," but first comes everything else—playing games,
having fun, growing up, getting a job, raising a family, and eventually growing
old.
By the end, the hopeful "I
may" carries both humor and truth.
Life is always busy.
There is always another
responsibility, another hobby, another distraction. Reading is something we
often intend to do, but tomorrow somehow becomes next week, next month, or even
next year.
And yet, the books remain.
Waiting patiently.
The Tower of Unread Books
The illustration of a child
balancing on an impossibly tall stack of books perfectly captures what many
readers experience.
Our unread books accumulate over
the years.
Every visit to a bookstore adds
another volume.
Every recommendation from a friend
expands the pile.
Every book sale whispers,
"You might want this one."
That growing tower isn't
necessarily a sign of failure.
It's a sign of curiosity.
Each unread book represents an
idea, a story, a lesson, or an adventure waiting for the right moment.
Your TBR Isn't a Burden
Many readers feel guilty about their
growing TBR list.
"I should finish what I
already own."
"I'll never read all of
these."
"My shelves are getting out
of control."
But perhaps we've been looking at
it the wrong way.
A TBR pile is really a collection
of future possibilities.
It reflects the person you hope to
become—the traveler, the historian, the mystery lover, the fantasy explorer, or
the lifelong learner.
Not every book has to be read
immediately.
Some books arrive years before
we're ready for them.
Buying Books Is an Investment in
Your Future Self
There's an old saying:
Buying books and reading books are
two different hobbies.
While humorous, there's wisdom in
it.
Buying a book isn't just about
today.
Sometimes it's about believing
that your future self will have the time, interest, or need for that story.
A novel you ignore today might
become your favorite five years from now.
A history book purchased on
impulse might answer questions you haven't even begun asking.
Unread books aren't wasted books.
They're opportunities waiting on
your shelf.
Someday Really Can Come
The poem ends with uncertainty:
"I may."
That tiny phrase is what makes the
poem so memorable.
It doesn't promise that every
unread book will be finished.
None of us ever will.
There will always be more
wonderful books than one lifetime can hold.
But that's okay.
The goal isn't to complete every
book.
The goal is to keep reading.
To keep discovering.
To keep making time whenever life
allows.
Embrace Your Growing TBR
If your shelves are starting to
resemble the towering stack in Arnold Lobel's illustration, you're in good
company.
Readers everywhere share the same
dream:
"One day I'll get to that
book."
Maybe not this week.
Maybe not this month.
But someday.
And until then, every unread book
is a reminder that there are still countless stories waiting to be experienced.
That's not something to feel
guilty about.
It's something to celebrate.
Final Thoughts
The Books I Have Not Read reminds
us that life will always compete for our attention. Work, family, hobbies, and
everyday responsibilities often come before reading. Yet the books patiently
wait, offering comfort and adventure whenever we're ready.
So don't worry if your TBR pile
keeps growing.
Keep buying the books that excite
your curiosity.
Keep adding to your shelves.
Read when you can, one page at a
time.
You may never finish every book
you own—but every unread book represents hope, possibility, and the promise of
another story waiting just for you.
