My father spent his life in corporate America, and the end of his career coincided with the implosion of the dot.com bubble in the early 2000′s. This poem was inspired by the men and women he saw lose their jobs, and how those actions were justified by his company’s executives.  It’s a heart-felt and powerful piece of art I wanted to share.

Thoughts While Working on My Resume

Today was a bad day.
My Boss called me into his office
and told me we are losing money,
and heading into a recession,
and have too much indirect expense
to compete in a smaller world
where our competitors are lean and mean.

My Boss said
we’d have to downsize,
and reduce indirect
and lay off people.
Since the company is having a bad time
we all must pay.
My Boss said I was fired.

The company is having a bad time.
So am I.

(c) 2001 Keith T. Smith