Hostile Work Environment Pantoum

As I've talked about ad nauseum, this time last year I was in a scary job situation and as lost as can be. I'm happy about how far I've come, but I can't help but be a little falshbacky. So heres a thing I wrote about it at the time.

Hostile Work Environment

I wish you no worse than your own commute,

garments against the drizzle

shielding your own safe face,

while mine is a membrane of jokes, a ghost.

Your garments against the drizzle,

I am an ex-ray peep show, a fish bowl.

I remain a membrane of jokes, a ghost,

in the comfort of paranoia confirmed.

I am a ex-ray peep show, a fish bowl.

I'm not crazy, you're just awful,

my comfort in paranoia confirmed,

cells no longer shocked to move.

I'm not crazy, you're just awful,

and of course I was being watched, throat cut,

bones no longer coaxed to move,

but panic, a visceral clock.

If course I was being watched, throat cut.

Bone-scraped daily, I did not develop thick skin,

just panic, a visceral clock,

you hear me, just barely, scraped and skinless.

Scraped daily, I did not develop thick skin,

but a festering chorus, a bloody cacophony.

You hear me, just barely, scraped and skinless,

blush-mortified, paralyzed with doubt.

You festering chorus, you bloody cacophony,

learn to control your facial expressions,

blush-mortified, paralyze yourself with doubt.

I wish you the crush of sadness you rolled your eyes at.

I've learned to control my facial expressions,

shield my own safe face.

I wish you the crush of sadness you rolled your eyes at.

I wish you no worse than your own commute.