A New Career
Be here at eight
said the group leader.
I was late but she
said that was okay
and handed me a kit
just like hers
a tin box full of nails
and a hammer.
I strapped my light
to my head which
was still in good shape
and began reinforcing
everything. When I
reinforced you
you seemed angry
and attractive. When I
reinforced the youth
the group leader
reinforced me and
her outfit looked great.
This job is not perfect
but the pay is okay
and I like working
outdoors. The group
leader respects us all
and at home the kids
love to shake
my tin box and think
of how close we once
were to collapse
Award-winning poet of 'The Trees The Trees'. Author of 'The Crying Book'. Published in The New Yorker, Poetry, & more. Former fellow at Emory.