I want to work in a cubicle

Olive

The perversion of the work-loving employee 
creates a self fulfilling prophecy
as workload creates workload 
and efficiency creates desire
yet each morning, count it, 16 nods
head held down by the primordial sea
of morning meetings between
hollowed out heads overflowing with itineraries
a sickness haunts the spreadsheets,
some dastardly fog still lingers
above the cubicles and beyond the break rooms
onset by fear in the eyes of employees at 4:45
glamorous countdown, 
that ticking of the clock
buttons on the walls of the dryer
dastardly in the way it lingers
I long for the gracious stampede
where no shoulders rub
the ivory pencil dresses
and somber gray suits

You may find this and more of Olive’s works here.

This poem critiques the relentless cycle of work culture, addressing themes of burnout, dehumanization, and the empty pursuit of efficiency. Through stark language and vivid imagery, it conveys the exhaustion inherent in grind culture, where “workload creates workload” and “efficiency creates desire.” The repetition of routines, illustrated by “16 nods” in morning meetings, reflects a robotic existence, trapping employees in a self-perpetuating cycle that strips away individuality and joy.

The poem employs free verse, lacking a fixed meter or rhyme scheme, which mirrors the chaotic, unstructured nature of the work environment it depicts. This absence of traditional form enhances the monotony and unpredictability of daily tasks, creating an overwhelming and mechanical atmosphere with little room for human connection or respite.

The structure mirrors the cycle’s oppressive nature, with long, continuous lines symbolizing the monotony of daily work and feelings of being submerged in a “primordial sea” of corporate life. The “sickness” haunting the spreadsheets symbolizes the emotional and mental toll of work culture, hinting at a deeper malaise lingering in the workplace. Fear creeps in as the poem approaches the climactic “4:45,” where the countdown to the end of the workday becomes a twisted form of hope. However, even this moment of potential release is depicted as mechanical, with the ticking clock compared to “buttons on the walls of the dryer.”

The contrast between the glamorous “ivory pencil dresses and somber gray suits” and the speaker’s desire to escape emphasizes the tension between outward appearances and inner dissatisfaction. The “gracious stampede” at day’s end signifies not just leaving work but a yearning to break free from an oppressive routine where “no shoulders rub,” suggesting a space devoid of genuine human connection.

Overall, this poem critiques the dehumanizing effects of corporate life using symbols like clocks and spreadsheets to highlight the exhaustion and detachment workers experience in grind culture. Its free-flowing structure and dark imagery underscore feelings of burnout and fear, while the conversational tone and uneven rhythm reflect the chaotic nature of the work environment. The poem serves as a vivid portrayal of the emotional and physical toll that modern workplace culture imposes on individuals.

Photo by Adolfo Félix on Unsplash