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Notes About The Poem

Having a federal job used to be fun. Now, disagreements have sabotaged workforce productivity. Much of the pleasureable and meaningful work is on hold. This brings great sadness and discomfort to many dedicated employees who struggle with this situation.

meltdown madness

We might as well stamp license plates
Government work makes us inmates
When assigned tasks inane
In asylums insane
We'll search for retirement dates

depressionmental illnesspoliticalworklimerick

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Silent One

March 2, 2024 at 6:01 AM

Very true and many a civil servant will agree with your sentiments... they want to increase retirement age here... nicely done as always..

Duke Beaufort

March 2, 2024 at 8:29 AM

It's all a shame really. There is so much good we could do. You're very kind.

Daniel Henry Rodgers

March 1, 2024 at 6:00 AM

Dear Duke, You poignantly capture the frustration and disillusionment experienced by many in the workforce. The clever humor amidst the underlying sadness highlights the situation's absurdity. Your words resonate with those who share similar struggles, offering a voice to their sentiments. I love how you have expressed these feelings with wit and insight. - Blessings, Daniel

Duke Beaufort

March 1, 2024 at 9:08 AM

Thanks Daniel, you are likely the kindest person on PS. Yes, I've experienced it. Your words summarize the situation really well--sad. In my own case, I felt sick at heart until I realized it would be better to leave than suffer. We often try fighting through unions or using procedures set up to combat this type of thing, but they don't always work out as designed. Roald Dahl suggested in Matilda 4 different approaches....submit, fight, get help, leave.

Vijay Pandit

March 1, 2024 at 5:46 AM

Some are dedicated, some not so much--you said it well about government work, Duke. Retirement can't come soon enough.

Duke Beaufort

March 1, 2024 at 9:14 AM

Thanks Vijay. I wanted to stay if possible to work and see results. However, when that became impossible, the handwriting was on the wall. Most of the people I worked with wanted to be productive and see results--right now many are very unhappy. Fortunately/Hopefully, that is not the case in many work situations. On the other hand, bad management relies of fear and doesn't take the trouble to know and appreciate who they have.

Andrea Dietrich

February 29, 2024 at 12:33 PM

Excellent limerick, my friend! My hubbie used drive for the post office (long hauls) and he told me the employees there were always so disgruntled

Duke Beaufort

February 29, 2024 at 4:25 PM

Andrea, we know there are disgruntled employees in federal employment as well as in the private sector. We hope that management can assist getting people where they can serve in accordance with their talents. While that is often the case, I've been in employed where management has some other bizarre agenda. I've seen that twice in my life. One company went bankrupt. The other was great until some new managers came in who didn't listen.

Sotto Poet

February 29, 2024 at 11:58 AM

Duke, an exemplar of intellectual and inventive prowess, I am truly enamored by the seamless rhythm of this limerick. The subject matter is truly exceptional. Delving into the realm of federal occupations and the associated challenges, I perceive a shift occurring for manifold reasons. It appears that administrations may necessitate an infusion of innovative individuals, yet the contemporary generation harbors an insatiable desire for rapid wealth accumulation, rendering them unable to endure the monotonous confines of a desk-bound existence when greater financial prospects beckon elsewhere. This conundrum undoubtedly warrants our earnest attention, as we endeavor to discern and implement efficacious remedies.

Duke Beaufort

February 29, 2024 at 3:53 PM

SP, great comment! It is hard for the government to compete with the private sector for talent. In some cases, they have wonderful people who would like to make the government work better for the taxpayers. Those very talented people are sometimes restricted by politics or by short-sided supervision.

Hilda Greenhough

February 29, 2024 at 8:34 AM

Poem and cartoon both rock. Only whistle-blowers give us hope. It's pretty bad when even prison guards succumb to the term "snitch". So called "snitches" just tell the truth.

Duke Beaufort

February 29, 2024 at 9:10 AM

There's a lot of wisdom in your comment Hilda. The government has mechanisms for employees to express concerns about fraud, waste, and abuse. People who have used those systems may end up very disappointed in the results.

meltdown madness

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