First Day On the New Job
by Michael Doyle

On the morning of the interview
It seems the world is thrown askew
The keeper of the door is the one closing it
And on most mornings, it's easy to be forgetting it

When a mouth runs, it seems to forget to close
Saying too much as an open mouth often does
And talking one's self out of what is needed
When a job could be found if discretion is heeded

It's a coincidence of the present application
When the spare time is spent mostly in aspiration
Languages and lessons are often forgotten
As the cracks of London themselves are caught in 

The seemingly forgettable experiences of the mundane
That seem more shabby, trite, and possibly inane
But if you close your eyes tight a moment in pretend
Sometimes, magically, it works out in the end

Bright and early, the future starts with the day
And it is out the door, on the bus, and you're late anyway
Dressed up in a new suit, hopeful, and off to a fresh start
It's the kind of pace that is great for the frail heart

The company sets the tone of falsely worn formality
While putting on the pretense of on big, happy family
Knowing that your new boss wishes you had actually died
That's the moment when you really wonder why you replied

Nothing less than excellence is or will be expected
You have the boss's assurance that all else will be rejected
Everything is set out as if with a sense of exactitude
There will be no questions asked, tasks are given with gratitude

The boss's cruelty turns out to be his greatest specialty
And you grimace at your fate knowing its inevitability
While nervousness minds the thoughtlessness of the matter
In all the small talk and mindless, endless chatter

There be dragons under the desks to give their surprise
And they shuffle quietly disappearing before your eyes
At least, that's how your day went as you tell it
The first day at the new job and you'll never forget it

(c) August 15, 2023  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved