The Crying Ladies Stay Jobless. Poem by RIC BASTASA

he did not hire
an old carpenter out of
pity

it would be too demeaning
and an inefficient decision.

and so the error has
been corrected.

yesterday the old man died
so he was not able finally
to redeem all his tools

he sent the flowers and
the card.

so this is a cruel
smart world.

evidently we outlive
our usefulness

and the smart ones
mercilessly hand the
rejection

there will be no
survivors

the crying ladies
stay jobless.