Saving Translations Electronically [rev.] Poem by Margaret Alice Second

Watching smudged eyebrow-lines sinking lower
below my eyes - a sultry ‘Marlene Dietrich' look
given my painted lips; I love lipstick, a thing that
makes unkempt-me look almost well-groomed, &
commending my Capricorn colleague, remarking
upon her genuine kindness - she helped a guy in
a wheelchair so enthusiastically a wheel drove
over my foot - it is a warning any desire to serve
can also be effectively deadly

Seeking Hermien's advice, she knows everything
about study help for my son, & making notes, now
I'm confined to Constitutional Development Text on
record access - should I opt for Escapism of swift
chocolate death - or save the precious cacao for
tomorrow? Though I LOVE being in an office with
neon cloths draped over air-con, hats, pink scarves,
flowers & beads almost burying books, thankfully
no-one berates me for this obvious mess

Planning to clear it one day, become an uncluttered
me who will effortlessly produce lines of Officialese
without existential questions regarding meaning of
life intruding to confuse me as to reasons for being
on earth; only when my words or actions help the
person in front of me is life meaningful - sitting here
translating for nasty people who, with evil intent, will
scrutinise legal documents attempting to take their
neighbours to court or harass hapless translators

Over words they disapprove, isn't uplifting; I lose
interest - only chocolate can induce my poor alien
brain's serotonin secretion to make me feel happy
& still focus - yet images of rigid officials seated in
rows relaying words or even worse, looking for new
terminology, recalls my state opera where all read
newspapers in unison - then jump on their desks
and dance the Macarena with owlish glasses and
old-fashioned clothes, pale from lack of sunshine

Desperately trying to convince this uncaring world
we have a purpose; knowing that outsiders think
government servants are the most boring species,
hah, but not me, my smudged eyes recreating the
New Goth look's proof there's a fire burning in me
no amount of administration can quench - even
though I mastered the art of saving translations
electronically!


[ORIGINAL: ]

Watching smudging eyebrow lines sinking lower
below my eyes for a sultry Marlene Dietrich look
given my painted lips - I love lipstick, a thing that
makes unkempt me look almost well-groomed &
congratulating my Capricorn colleague remarking
upon her genuine kindness - she helped a guy in
a wheelchair so enthusiastically I was in the way
and a wheel drove over my foot, a warning that
such desire to serve can be deadly also

Getting advice from Hermien who knows everything
about study help for my son, after making notes I'm
confined to a Constitutional Development Text about
record access - should I opt for Escapism in a swift
chocolate death - or should the precious chocolate
be kept for tomorrow? - Though I LOVE being in the
office with neon cloths draped over the air-con; hats,
pink scarves, flowers and beads almost burying the
books - thankful no-one berates me for this mess

Planning to clear all this one day and becoming an
uncluttered me who will produce lines of Officialese
effortless, without existential questions regarding the
meaning of life intruding to confuse me as to reasons
for being on earth; only when my words or actions are
helping the person in front of me life is meaningful -
sitting here translating for nasty people with evil intent
who will scrutinise legal documents attempting to take
their neighbours to court or perhaps harass hapless
translators for using words they disapprove of, isn't

Uplifting; I lose interest - only chocolate can induce
my poor alien brain to secrete serotonin to make me
feel happy and concentrate regardless - yet images
of rigid officials sitting in rows relaying words or even
worse; looking for new terminology, recalls my state
opera where all read newspapers in unison then we
jump up on our desks and dance the Macarena with
owlish glasses and old-fashioned clothes, pale from
lack of sunshine and desperately trying to convince
an uncaring world we have a purpose; knowing that

Outsiders think government servants are the most
boring species, hah- but not me, my smudged eyes
recreating the New Goth look is proof there is a fire
burning in me that no amount of administration can
quench - even though I mastered the art of saving
translations electronically!

[A POETIC ESSAY]

[25 August 2014]