Why do I need to do this
I say to myself as I move the razor
over cheeks flecked with stubble,
my shallow neckbeard
evaporating under the heat of the blades.
I am not
“professional,”
nor do I see people
as often as I used to.
I run my fingers through longish
lank hair,
and I admit
I do look a little better
with a clean face.
And when I pull
my hair back a bit,
I see how a haircut would look,
and it’s not bad.
It fits
the standards of the day: short,
simple, and clean.
Okay, you got me:
I feel a little better
after cleaning up a bit.
I push myself into the outline they made.
My outside looks enough to fool them.
My thoughts, though … I won’t cut those to fit.
Monthly Archives: June 2022
Somewhere,
an automatic paper towel dispenser
activates ad infinitum, rhythmic and
mechanical –
but who is ripping the paper?
A Few Simple Rules for Working in the Office Alone on a Saturday
- Don’t knock on doors that should have nothing behind them.
- Remember which lights were on and which ones were off as you walk the halls.
- If the parking lot is empty and you hear some(one/thing) in the building, leave immediately.