“the grind”

Every day I start whole

And somehow end less

In what I can see is one big mess,

A broken system…

I look for the positive

When negative prevails

In an environment

Where relentless perfectionism is pursued

Creativity is out of scope

The pyramid ‘pierarchy’ (patriarchal hierarchy)

Favours a finished product

Over collaboration and teamwork

As, like an aging meat

That dries over time

I am “cured”

A winner takes all approach

Akin to bottom trawling

Means everything is caught in the net

But only one thing/ the one fish on the menu is valued

They say not to take things personally

Yet this is personal

When expression is denied

Rampant rules are so defined

And diversity and being oneself

Becomes collateral damae

For “the Firm’s” sake

Everything is about compliance, complicity,

Repeatability, efficiency

Forget curiosity.

Faultlessness, punctuality and people-pleasing

Are contagious.

Feelings cost time and time is money….

Until one no longer recognises themself

That’s when you have to dig deep and ask

Is this me….?