The Noodle Factory Poem by Rodolfo Martin Vitangcol

WHAT TO YOU ARE IDEAL EMPLOYEES?
Have you seen any in reality?
If none, I'll take you to this company,
and you'll be amazed at what you will see.

THIS COMPANY IS NOODLE FACTORY;
the brand of which I'll not mention to thee.
Their noodles are all over the country;
I was there in line with consultancy.

AT FIRST, I EXPECTED THE WORK COMPOUND
to be some square meters of four thousand.
To my surprise, it's a wee factory,
sitting on square meters of just forty.

AND THE WORK FORCE I THOUGHT ABOVE THIRTY,
goodness me, it's just a labor of three!
The machines I thought were huge and current,
it was just one stove, small-sized, and ancient.

ANCIENT?IT USES WOOD SHAVINGS FOR FIRE—
not electricity one would desire.
To keep the antique stove ever burning,
be alert in adding more wood leavings.

I HID AS I WATCHED THE THREE GREAT WORKERS,
who worked straight sans any talk and banter.
They worked fast and their moves seemed to all rhyme,
they hit quota well before quitting time.

THIS HOW THEY MADE THEIR LABOR DIVISION:
The first one: the noodle preparation.
The second: the cooking for production.
The third: the wrapping for distribution.

THIS THIRD WORKER SEEMED TO MOVE LIKE LIGHTNING—
he could wrap all before next batch coming.
But he would not just sit back while waiting—
he'd give assist to first or one cooking.

I THOUGHT WHEN ONE IS COMMITTED FULLY—
one person can do the workload of three.
But these ones I saw in the factory—
the load of thirty can be done by three.

MANY WORKERS TODAY DO GRIPE A LOT—
if only they have this and they have that.
I wonder what would their reactions be,
if get toured to this noodle factory!

Amen!

Copyright © 2018
Rodolfo Martin Vitangcol
All Rights Reserved