Home » Poems » Sigrid Ermine » The Fat End

The Fat End

We are the workers, call us 
an hour before an absent fill shift
The pyramid sprouts atop of
The heavy depths of broad ordinary, 
Breadth mopped and swept

Silent cogs push motion
Everywhere, rarely heralded
Carpet of field mice scrambling

Part of the pattern, crucial 
Expectations remain ingrained 
Pith of the fruit, flavour generic
Bolster of bricks protects 
Lighthouse of blinding brains

Scratching hand to steerhouse
Tightening bolts, scrubbing deck
Nugget behind their high shine

We are the labourers, casual pay
covers days not at work, sticking
To meagre styles, life defined
By the hemming, wage stemmed 
 - Can't afford to ask questions 

Surge of activity, pothole filled
Inhibited by flurry, imagination aside
Menial smooths the cement

Minimum makes no plans
beyond next week, when, - if
I have a job. We will do any dirty
Demeaning chore, and thank you for 
Your grace in giving it to us



6th August 2020

It Sucks  - Contest

Kai Michael Neumann - Sponsor

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Gershon Wolf

Date: 8/9/2020 7:52:00 PM

The whole paradigm surely sucks --- but there is dignity in any work, no matter how 'lowly' ~ Former Kibbutznik

Anisha Dutta

Date: 8/8/2020 9:35:00 PM

Right you are.I agree wih you. Best Wishes.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 8/8/2020 4:03:00 PM

yeah, sure sucks. Just wait till we all get vaccinated. . .

Pashang Salehi

Date: 8/7/2020 10:49:00 AM

This is a Beautiful expression, my friend

Sigrid Ermine
Date: 8/7/2020 5:13:00 PM

Thank you, Pashang

John Gondolf

Date: 8/6/2020 8:52:00 AM

If all laborers were bosses, there would be on one to do the menial jobs and if all menial laborers were paid the same as their bosses there would be no bosses and the work would not get done. You must have a hierarchy in business. Just my humble thoughts. John

Sigrid Ermine
Date: 8/6/2020 3:05:00 PM

Humble thanks, John. I completely agree. Your observation is inescapable. I'm just presenting the point of view of menial worker, and on occasions people of power on all levels got there through sheer connection. Low paid workers are often highly skilled. I very much appreciate a comment, because as a writer, there's a question in my head, is this theme translating? Glad it did!