187

187

One hundred eighty-seven employees
received a yellow manilla envelope

unwillingly perhaps, but shoved into
their hands by their managers

who may have been appropriately
sad, or distressed, or

perhaps just glad they were not
on that side of the table, this time.

one hundred eighty seven mothers, fathers,
sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles

were marched out the door, manilla envelopes
in hand, five minutes to grab their purses

make sure their wallets were in their pockets.
It’s just another cold day in corporate America.