The Horror of Everyday Modern Living (2010)


"Horror of Everyday Modern Living" - drawing by Harvey Dog 2005 for the poem: "Horror of Everyday Modern Living".

“I hate my job, I hate my job
I hate my job, I hate my job…”

The words repeat
endlessly
inside his head

(trapped)

day after day
the possibility
of escape dwindles

How did he end up
in this situation?

“I hate my job, I hate my job…”

The clock ticks
closer and closer
to the screaming
of the alarm clock

“I hate my job, I hate my job…”

It was only for money – survival – rent
make enough cash…move on…
it didn’t happen like that
(it never does)

“I hate my job, I hate my job…”

3 years…how many more?
1 more? 2 more? 20 MORE???

"Stable Genius" - drawing by Harvey Dog 2019 for the 2011 poem: "Horror of Everyday Modern Living".

When will this endless
torture to my soul cease?

“I despise my job, I despise my job…
my job despises me, my job despises me”

When did he wake up?
Was he already awake?
If you don’t sleep
how can you wake?

“I kill my job, I kill my job…
my job kills me, my job kills me…”

He’ll be there next week,
definitely until Xmas,
then?
until retirement? retirement?
I’ll never make it!

“I am my job, I am my job
I hate myself, I hate myself”

He drinks his coffee,
showers, brushes teeth,
walks to car,
key in ignition,
drives to…that place.

“I hate my job, I hate my job…”

"Looking for the Garden" - drawing by Harvey Dog 2019 for the 2011 poem: "Horror of Everyday Modern Living".

He parks the car
in front of the
trailer disguised
as an office,
the place…he works

He sits in the car,
and he sits
and he laughs,
he laughs
hysterical laughter.

I HATE MY JOB! I HATE MY JOB!
I HATE MY JOB! I HATE MY JOB!

He laughs and laughs and laughs and laughs
…He hears banging on the car window…
…He turns the radio up…

I HATE MY FUCKING JOB!!
I HATE MY FUCKING JOB!!

The banging on the windows
continues…the sound of a siren
in the distance

He laughs and laughs and laughs
as he’s loaded into the ambulance
and he thinks to himself:

I didn’t realize it was this easy
to get time off work.

December, 2010



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