Work-Death Balance
Working late, Tom on his own
that Friday afternoon -
quite contented, office drone -
but that would change quite soon
when a ringing in his ear
a tickling at his neck
signalled something Tom might fear
could be there if he'd check
temperature began to fall
and static charged the air
goosebumps formed so white and small
beneath Tom's standing hair
missives pinned to notice boards
seemed bothered by a wind
then where all his files were stored
a ghost appeared and grinned
spellbound by this spooky scene
for which work had not trained
Tom from pink turned sickly green
then all his colour drained
the ghost in chains, dusty locks
and to a shroud confined
gestured vaguely at the clock
and then unbound its mind
"you have no home to go to?
nothing you’d rather do?
got nobody who loves you?
the bars ran out of brew?
next time when you hear the chime
of five leave work aside
or end up in overtime
like I did when I died."
suddenly Tom's mouth was dry
his voice had shrunk to none
arguments unwise to try
so put his coat straight on
and mimed like he was yawning
hand raised to gaping jaw
said "See you Monday morning"
and ran straight for the door.
May 25
May 25, 2026 at 11:08 AM UTC
Work-Death Balance
Working late, Tom on his own
that Friday afternoon -
quite contented, office drone -
but that would change quite soon
when a ringing in his ear
a tickling at his neck
signalled something Tom might fear
could be there if he'd check
temperature began to fall
and static charged the air
goosebumps formed so white and small
beneath Tom's standing hair
missives pinned to notice boards
seemed bothered by a wind
then where all his files were stored
a ghost appeared and grinned
spellbound by this spooky scene
for which work had not trained
Tom from pink turned sickly green
then all his colour drained
the ghost in chains, dusty locks
and to a shroud confined
gestured vaguely at the clock
and then unbound its mind
"you have no home to go to?
nothing you’d rather do?
got nobody who loves you?
the bars ran out of brew?
next time when you hear the chime
of five leave work aside
or end up in overtime
like I did when I died."
suddenly Tom's mouth was dry
his voice had shrunk to none
arguments unwise to try
so put his coat straight on
and mimed like he was yawning
hand raised to gaping jaw
said "See you Monday morning"
and ran straight for the door.
