Offices

Week One
Laptops and landlines, paper and pens
Staplers and spray-mount, computer mice and men
The low hum of speech, country music a-playing
Small bursts of laughter, decisions a-making
A spreadsheet is open, looking at me
I wish it wouldn’t, I don’t know what it sees.

Week Two
Headphones and headaches, remedies and pills
Flat-screens and flat out, air conditioner chills
The low hum of traffic, hip hop a-playing
Large bursts of laughter, photocopier disobeying
That spreadsheet is still open, winking at me
I colour it in using nice shades of green.

Week Three
Scarves and shawls, jumpers and jackets
The dying printer is making a racket
The low hum of servers, no music a-playing
No laughter today, a pitch is a-failing
The spreadsheet is open, I know it so well
My life is mapped out in blocks of colour on Excel

Week Four
Think of the money, well that is what I am thinking
This is a job that will stop me from sinking
It’s not forever and then I can go back to writing
Back to the novel and all that’s exciting
I close the spreadsheet and look towards the sun
Happy with a journey that has already begun.