Extinction Completed

2 Comments

Tags:
  • Moving On
    • ,
  • Irony
    • ,
  • Anger
    • ,
  • Humor
    • Wesa
    • is staying up too late. Again.

    Poem Commentary

    In 2005, my position with Sears was eliminated (well, shipped off back east; Ohio, I think). Perhaps I was a little bitter. But honestly, it was meant as a play on words. And I still find it ironic that our last day was a Friday the 13th. The acronyms refer to my changing job title, first District Operations Administrator, then Market Operations Administrator, then Office Assistant (all in 5 years, and exactly the same job!). NTB refers to National Tire and Battery, a former Sears subsidiary.

    Extinction Completed
    Extinction Completed
    by Connie Foy

    Right from the beginning
    our fate was all set
    How could we have guessed?
    We weren't D.O.A. yet!

    The name-change to MOA
    was met with relief:
    Far better extinct
    than a life-span too brief.

    The N.T.B. joke
    was Next-To-Be sold;
    their MOAs went with them,
    as everyone knows.

    They fell shortly after.
    'Twas noticed by few,
    but still they were mourned
    by Sears MOAs, who knew.

    Our numbers depleted,
    we still didn't see
    extinction completed
    by what was to be.

    We were told that our jobs
    would be safe; we were fine.
    But apparently we
    didn't read all the signs.

    The merger would have
    no effect, we were told.
    And yes, we believed them.
    We MOAs were sold.

    As Office Assistants
    at least we had jobs.
    Now O.A.s are gone, too,
    amid a few sobs.

    Should be no surprise here.
    Remember back when
    we started this gig?
    We were D.O.A. then!

    We didn't die out,
    nor our heads explode.
    We found extinction
    down a whole different road.

    No MOAs no mo'.
    Yes, now we're extinct.
    But just whose bad luck
    is *this* Friday Thirteenth?

    Poem Comments

    (2)

    Please login or register

    You must be logged in or register a new account in order to
    leave comments/feedback and rate this poem.

    Login or Register

    cousinsoren commented on Extinction Completed

    10-24-2010

    Louise Bennett, Jamaica's Poet Laureate said, "We must take serious sinthing (things) make laugh, but we should not ignore the lessons to be learnt" Wesa,you have told this sad story very well. All the literary gadgets are appropriate and fit like a comfortable pair of gloves. My rating for excellent smooth narrative style , clarity and audience appeal is a full 10. I should like to hear some views if this poem is what some critics call street poetry.
    Reply to Comment

    Wesa

    10/24/2010

    Thank you. :) I haven't heard of street poetry before. I'd be interested too!

    Olan01 commented on Extinction Completed

    10-24-2010

    Yes, all things change, whether we like or not. A business has not heart, nor should. It soul purpose it to make a profit. The workers give it flesh and blood and feed its greed. And when it becomes too cumbersome it *metamorphosizes* and downsizes.
    Reply to Comment

    Wesa

    10/24/2010

    Or it buys buildings from another business that's struggling, then finds itself purchased with its own funds, and calls it a merger.

    Poetry is not an expression of the party line. It's that time of night, lying in bed, thinking what you really think, making the private world public, that's what the poet does.

    Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) U.S. poet.

    Wesa’s Poems (5)

    Title Comments Submitted
    Title Comments Submitted
    Extinction Completed 2 10/24/2010
    Talitha Cumi 4 10/11/2010
    Pain 2 09/09/2009
    The Wall 6 08/20/2009
    A Walk in the Garden 1 08/20/2009
    Top of Page