Transitions

Transitions

No more pencils, no more books
No more teachers’ dirty looks

Eternal student, close your books,
dog-eared, written in,
You forget it all, anyway
Don’t you?

Changes.
Money
Monday
Make change

Resume after resume
fractured lives, fractured soul
divided into neat, meaningless categories
Professional Experience
Education
Professional Activities
Show them who you are
Or who you pretend to be
Or who you think they’ll want you to be

Pretend smiles, resolution,
Jargon, interviews, sucking up.

Rejection
No answer
No response
Too many candidates
Who are you?
We don’t know you, do we?
We do know so-and-so
That’s the person who will get the job.
But nice of you to drop by

That’s what the secretary says
Or doesn’t say, but understands.
She smiles
Looks behind you

There’s another one
Clean white shirt
Blond hair
Young face
I’ve brought my resume, she says.

Walk back to your car

Gas wasted
Time wasted

You needs a strategy
Times are tough
Too much supply
Not enough demand

Can’t give up
Must play the game
Nasty game,
Mean old game
Winners and losers
Winner takes all

Solace
Wearing your husband’s sweater
A few minutes of
Comfort and Warmth

Find a new strategy
Write out your thoughts
Write out your plans

Try again