The Workforce, Barely Afloat

We remember as adolescents tripping down those cliffs that we call stairs

Falling endlessly to the depths of the next stair

And the next

And the next

Our frightening destiny in the hands of gravitational force

We live in a world full of people trying hard not to blink

Hoping our eyes will be open when luck crosses the road

No regrets, no frets

A small flash of a flicker in a flickering lightbulb

Searching our souls for strings and meticulous poetic verse-things

The crowds, the multitudes, young and old all flocking to the carnival

They are the air that we breathe, frantic and difficult to read

They’ve got deadlines on their minds, but

They’re young enough to just waste time

A meeting with the boss at noon

Wondering whether today they’ll fry or fillet

Throwing sticks and stones that break our bones

And speaking words that ruin our friendships, reputations, and self esteem

Déjà vu, I’ve been here before