Best Workday Poems
Organ grinder
Meat grinder
Bump-and-grind
The workday grind
Get up, get out of bed
Drag a comb across my head
Yeah, Yeah, Paul: You knew that was coming --
Go to work
Pour the coffee
Water the plants
Sharpen some pencils
Head for the water cooler
Trade some stories...gossip a bit
Stall...stall...stall...and stall some more...
Get to the meeting on time
Look engaged
Back to my cubby
And then:
What's this? A poem?
A what? A poem!
A poem appears
comes flying from my fingers
onto the keyboard
up on the screen
read... saved... printed …
posted on social media... 'liked'
All over the internet
Gone viral
I'm a thing
a downright event!
Yeah, sure I got canned
Of course...
Know anyone looking for a new poet?
December 03, 2019
Predictable Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Nina Parmenter
We Go Inside The Fence For Every Shift,
We Pray It’s Safe, Peaceful And Swift.
We Put Up With Inmates, Convicts,
Administration & The Rest.
We Pray Each Day To Do Our Best.
We Have A Thin Line That We Must Walk,
With Courage From God, We Shall Not Balk.
Each Day We Put Ourselves In Harm’s Way,
So Our Family & All Have A Safer Day.
This We Do, To Better The World You See,
For We’re The Officers Of The D. O. C.
I rush through each day as if I have endless days ahead of me
When in reality each day is counting down to my demise
I awake each morning running my day through my mind
Planning on how to get there in the shortest amount of time
I rush through traffic, angry that it is moving so slowly
I run through the halls, arriving at my office out of breath
Logging in as I throw my purse in a drawer, the clerk reminds me of a meeting
There's fifty emails to answer and the blasted light on my phone is blinking
Burning my tongue on a cup of coffee, I rush down the stairs clutching my PDA
Deleting messages on my way to another conference I'm not ready for
To be told to move their projects to the top of my priorities
I return to my desk and scratch another due date to my to do list
Lunch comes and goes as I swallow yet another yogart and banana
I should have stock in these companies; it's my daily substance
Budget is due and the contracts are behind; by the way where is my handouts?
I still haven't answered that stupid light on my phone
The day is finished and I finally get around to the messages
One is canceling tomorrows meeting but there are two to replace it.
The last call is my doctors office telling me the biopsy is back
Could I make an appointment to see the doctor right away; it's abnormal.
Cars honk as they pass me in their hurry to no where
I don't see them through the veil of tears streaming off my cheek
Did I just pass my exit? I don't care
I'm no longer in a hurry; the sun has just set on my day.
“come fluttering words, come drifting words to me…”
A Rambling Poet
A mere housemaid awakens before morning light.
Eyes wide, she bolts upright to the bed’s edge, as if late for work, though she
never is.
Another beautiful day to labor away.
Polishing silver all day has its advantages.
Each piece polishes to a looking glass, each a porthole to her dreams.
As she stares into the final polished vase, her weary face transforms into the face of
a lovely, fair skinned maiden.
Soft red lips highlight her perfect cheek bones and straight nose.
A simple pink ribbon holds her long, auburn hair in place.
Sparkling green eyes and a happy smile portray her excitement as she admires her
floor length pastel summer dress.
“Oh my, It’s time for my evening stroll,” she reminds herself.
Twirling once, she heads out the door leading to the apple orchard.
Barely noticing the orchard’s beauty, she strolls toward the stone steps leading to her favorite place, the stone rose garden.
Making her way down the steps, she immediately notices someone has placed two arrangements onto the platform from the stone cabinet.
As she bends to smell the flowers, she accidentally brushes some petals off, sending them floating to the platform and moss covered stone walk.
Closing her eyes, she lets the essence take her back a dozen years to a young girl
planting pink roses with her mother.
“There’s not a lot of room to plant,” her mother would say. “Two inches of soil between all this stone is what we have to work with.”
She opens her eyes to find herself staring into the polished silver vase.
Her tired, smudged face reminds her it’s time to go home.
Something different catches her eye in the polished looking glass.
Her long auburn hair is no longer neatly bundled under her cleaning bonnet, but held in place by a simple pink ribbon.
Randy Steele
July 25, 2011
"What Is She Thinking?" contest
Another day breaks
Bursting upon the sky
Changing colors which enter the eye
Dangers disappear as light it grows
Erasing the fears
Fear of the crows
Gentle breezes too begin to blow
Happy noises begin to grow
Into this world I now must step
Just in time for meetings kept
I but worry keeping my mind on time
Hurring now through the day
Giving away my life and time
Fearing now those who before
Envisioned thoughts in the mind
Dreaming and fearing coming dark
Changing colors which enter the eye
Broken now with a deep sigh
Another day has passed me by
Beauty desoliving about me now
Crows wings spreading covering the ground
Destroying the freedom that was found
Everyone runs quick to hide
From this terror now residing outside
Given to fears that were once before
Hidden within the sun
Into a house they all will run
Happy tunes no more to be sung
Gratitude sold for a beer
Fleeting moments gone with the sun
Expound the increase
Daylight hours again shall be found
Caring again shall abound
Beauty shall open unto me
Another day dawns revealing the ground
On this day her touch
Simply will not suffice
So Glenlivet tall
Poured over ice
Pure tan healing
After a day too long
Comfort revealing
From 86 strong
the first hint of a shiver
running down my spine
I look to see what caused it
but the meaning of it still hides
the following day
it hits again
with a force
that could not be reckoned
by morning I am a mess
with a pounding head i stress
should I spend the day in bed
or face the day ahead
the thought of bed
stays in my head
but oh what will my boss say
if I stay at home instead?
clambering out of bed I say
"a long day it will be today!"
within the hour I knew that i was right
constant sympathy "oh gosh, are you alright?"
my bed all day, it calls me
beckoning me home
reluctantly I turn back round.
to do the work that I now hold
When five o clocks comes around
Well, I've never moved so fast
Settling back into bed, what a relief
With a bit of luck please let this bug pass
Work Is Hard to Find
When you have to spend
All your time
Studying as a poor college student
Day in and Day out
Never knowing where
You will be going
Or the path that lies ahead for you
You are grateful
That you have three meals a day
Even if you get them
By government loans
When you do not own a car
Or have any say in the way
That your life is because
The government decides for you
How much they think
You do or do not need in loans
All based on your parent’s income
They do not know about their bills
Or the pressure they have
It kills them late at night when they are sleeping
It haunts you too when you are weeping
However, there is hope if you make it
Taking the long route in college for there are grants to be given
You wake up one morning and there is
Enough money to cover all your costs in the fall
Although I can not count on it and the fear
Is here approaching
That Obama will disappoint us all
A writer, a poet or even journalist would understand and know,
You can not wait for the muse to take over and words to just flow,
But life keeps you busy with work and all sorts of things to do,
You have limited time for leisurely things that belong to you.
We fall into habits to strive for that time for our postings to take flight,
Next thing you know you are staying up at all costs through the night,
Tonight, I bid my audience and comrads an early night and an adieu,
I need to rest my head and eyes that I am most surely overdue.
**but I had a glorious day outside..most of the day outside..
and an interview!
should not complain I did that national wildlife week one today
and the animal pictures took forever to find and do
Arose before dawn
Smelled the coffee
Fed my dog
Worked in a workout
Showered and dressed
Drove ahead of the pack
First in the building
Dove headfirst into work
Developed and crunched concepts
Made calls and commitments
Met people shook hands
Exchanged and grew trusts
Followed through and advanced
Checked up on progress
Oiled wherever needed
Jumped inevitable hoops
Made sure all were pleased
Refused all distractions
Did the best that I could
Stayed focused and faithful
Performance objectives achieved
Was a well oiled machine
Turned off the lights
Drove home in the dark
Quantified the day
Satisfied with exception
Smiles were mostly obligatory
Heart remained disengaged
Were you my reward
At the end everyday
The brass ring I reach for
Would transform into gold
Cut excess work-time
Embark in joyful productivity
Blessed forevermore creating with you
Fed my dog
Fed me
Said my prayers
Went to bed
As i sit on an office chair, feeling confined
i feel i gotta take life one day at a time
lining up for the rat race
but yet i fell that i haven't been born
yet still all the other cats chase
while I'm just trying to get my foot in the door
I'm trying to get up that ladder, but i got both feet tied
I'm trying to make people happier, so Ive become accustomed to lies
of course i, would love to use my foresight and make a means to the end
but I'm forced by, my short sight, to make the same mistakes again
now i toss and turn
lying in my bed feeling confined
dreaming for what i yearn,
hoping i can start again one day at a time
While adults are bound by the obligation of work
The children get caught in the routine of school
All are engaged through the days of the work week
To earn a living or prepare for the work life ahead
After the weekend of rest, fun, and labour
The body is forced back into that same routine
Obeying the sequence of those who created the order
Made to ensure unchallenged control of humans
seven thirty eight
chirping in the prying light
library lowing
10/10/2018
I watched a woman die today,
her skin, I swear, was ghastly gray,
all day she'd cried out in great pain,
and asked for relief, but all in vain.
Her heart rate dropped point by point,
no V-Fib for her, she was leaving this joint,
we'd never seen anything like this before,
27...26...25...24
She slipped away slowly, inch by inch,
her face soon relaxed, was no longer pinched.
And as I stood watching the cold Texas rain,
I wondered why no one had relieved her pain.
All day the nurses had been begging the docs
as the patient kept ringing the nurse call box,
why withhold meds from a person with cancer?
The docs did not care, wouldn't give us an answer.
Don't overdose her, but by God ease her pain!
Why should she suffer as she circles the drain?
We watched the screen as she finally flat-lined,
the emotionless doctors had papers to sign.
©copyright2009DanielleWhite
what its like to be that soldier?
risking your life and sacrificing alot
but not every one can call themselves that
think of what you do during the day while they dont sleep
that chance to not come back home, their families that weap
scary?? hearing and seeing bullets fly
rounds striking skin battle buddies that die
feeling of mortar rounds striking the ground beneath your feet
IED's exploding under one of your battles HUMMWV
the sound of a 50 cal going off nite and day
bodies falling around them now what do you have to say?
you think your story is hard
try being a soldier for once and you tell me
try living their life and seeing what they see
days in and days out with no relief
and you say you think your scared??
im scared for their families grief
being a soldier is not what you think, its what you are
being strung up in a gang killing dont make you that star
that real soldier is defending this country and whats right
firing rounds down range not giving up with out a fight
seeing your buddies shot and die with their blood on your hands
are you really that soldier or do you stand back in the stands?
waking up and breathing each day hoping its not the last you make
the fear is what keeps them alive but thats a give or take
soldiers losing everything that they once adored
spouses leaving them cuz they cant wait or get bored
its not easy being that soldier even from the good you do
its not a get up one day, kill and walk away thinking you're through
when you're a soldier thats what you are each morning you wake
you live it and you breathe it in with out a rest or break
by Taneia J. Nelson