On the clock
for a whole day
with no rest.
There are people
who consider that
a hardship, an
inequity to be
redressed at some point
with a dramatic exit
and all the fireworks
they can muster.
I am not one of those —
I welcome this
round the clock job,
all week gig, all year
career. Any stoppage
or break feels like a death
or at best a sickness.
I did not sign up
for this life but I take it
as my reward for
something I did in
a previous one where
I was stunted and kept
from this. This is no
job, after all. This is
an identity; why would I want
to break that?
I turn back to it. Go
away. There’s work to be done
and I would prefer
to be alone, wearing myself
to a nub, as I do it.
Like most others
who are called to this,
I’ll rest when I’ve
died. I’ll take my break
on my back, or slumped in
a chair, better yet, head fallen
onto the desk. They’ll
pull me up and wheel me out
and someone else
will sit right down
and go, go, go
all hours until they fail.
It’s how it’s done. Once
you’re in you stay in
till you drop
right beside
your last word
and someone new steps up.
January 14th, 2018 at 8:05 am
I really like your writing style.
January 14th, 2018 at 8:07 am
Thank you very much! It’s always nice to hear.