No Job Security Today

Small presses are the live-blood of modern poetry. In my mind, one of the best small presses currently publishing is Pygmy Forest Press, edited by Leonard Cirino, who is an excellent poet in his own right.

todays poem is the latest i have written (obviously a while back) - this is a "rough draft", very minor edits since it was written one rainy night at work. it is probably in need of at least one more round of edits. i am thinking it eventually has a place in one of my unfinished manuscripts.


No Job Security Today
written 10:08:06
- A working class hero is something to be - John Lennon

5 Am
& the winderman forgets
to change his slitters again.

another set of cull.
19 of 20 days/nights in a row
& i have forgotten what day of the week it is
or what sunshine feels like.

these concrete walls seep
prayers i would rather not hear.

my union vice-president sends an email
telling me my position on the paper machine
is no longer protected -
something about reorganization
& technicalities in the contract
that i probably wouldn't understand.
lay-offs are not expected
but also not out of the realm of possibilities.

i cut another set of core,
wait for morning & my relief,
questioning how much longer
the pain in my shoulder
will give the dream service.