I Worked Fifteen Months Doing Data Entry in Tucson by Michael Frissore

They called a department-wide meeting.
I wouldn’t have even known about it
if I hadn’t by chance seen the sign on the wall,
“Town Hall Meeting at 1:00 in Cafeteria.”

They give the data entry staff
no e-mail and no phones.
So the supervisors communicate to us
like roommates who hate each other,
writing on white boards and printed notes
only slightly bigger than Post-its.

At the meeting, the Silver Fox
announces there will be lay-offs.
Everyone gasps and becomes indignant,
but I smile because job or no job,
I won’t be here anymore.

Author bio:

Michael Frissore has a chapbook called Poetry is Dead (Coatlism, 2009) and a blog called Michael Frissore. His writing has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Dzanc Books' "Best of the Web" anthology, and has appeared in over 70 publications in six countries. Mike grew up in Massachusetts and lives in Oro Valley, Arizona with his wife and son.