The Glorious Restructure

 A poem about a situation many of us have faced many times in our working lives, this was prompted by a particulalry drastic version - I'm over it hope you are too:

 

The Glorious Restructure

 

 

We set sail unaware, and then

one third must go they said

it's all we can afford

and those who remain will be empowered

to work another half again

we’ll work smarter not harder they said

but smarter sounded like harder after all

 

we'll pay you to jump now,

or less to jump later

and then we won't pay you to jump at all,

just sink, or swim

 

empire building with heads in the clouds

has emptied out the funds

it seems we are not carrying gold

but only bricks and mortar

 

each third oar was empty

pull harder was the cry

and life jackets must be worn

if they don’t square the books

we’ll all be walking the plank

 

now I am rearranged

three in place of five

hearts and souls withdrawn, reserved,

held in cheque

resilience thin where loyalty lay

 

we’ve reduced the weight, made it easier for you,

so row faster, otherwise we’ll all sink

we didn’t need them, just filling seats,

and pulling oars we didn’t need

 

never mind what's always been said

'it's the staff that make this place'

never mind just to see where the pieces fall,

and some will fall to pieces

 

we’ll work smarter not harder they said

but smarter was harder after all.