on his retirement
They told me to give a speech during my retirement party. I said, "you guys didn't read my e-mail meh?"
photo by hotblack at morguefile
on his retirement
"Speech! Speech!", we ask.
He is holding his mug like a trophy.
He nods his head. He is silent.
For all his forty years
In the office
He could not think of anything
About his work to say.
An awkward cough! Applause
Ripple to nothingness.
The office walls close in.
We quickly spread out
The curry puffs,
Fried chicken, kueh and drinks.
"Eat! Eat!" we say.
12/07/2019
**********
Emerson Lake and Palmer - Lucky Man
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2019
on his retirement
"Speech! Speech!", we ask.
He is holding his mug like a trophy.
He nods his head. He is silent.
For all his forty years
In the office
He could not think of anything
About his work to say.
An awkward cough! Applause
Ripple to nothingness.
The office walls close in.
We quickly spread out
The curry puffs,
Fried chicken, kueh and drinks.
"Eat! Eat!" we say.
12/07/2019
**********
Emerson Lake and Palmer - Lucky Man
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2019
Labels: change, employment, ennui, old age, Singapore, social issues, Work
posted by dsnake1 at 10:10 PM
14 Comments:
Enjoy your retirement. Spoil yourself.Forty years is a long time in a job. Give yourself a big pat on the back.
A wonderful reflection
Wow, forty years and nothing to say. That is amazing......either too long a drudgery, or a heart too full to speak. May retirement be wonderful for him.
I am wondering if this is autobiographical? I think it is really hard to be put on the spot and asked for a 'speech' when everyone is watching. Eat and celebrate sounds like the perfect solution.
Truly done and time to be nourished. I enjoyed this.
I can sense the mixed feelings of retirement here. Personally, I've loved it. But some believe their entire identity is tied to their profession or work. Not I.
At least he held it as a trophy, and not a weapon. This hoot of a poem bursts with enough reality to make us cough, too.
Cressida,
and a six-pack and pizza and a roast duck...
Thank you! :)
Jae,
Thank you!
it's good to see you. :)
Sherry,
perhaps a bit of both. or perhaps knowing that soon, he will be out of a job and would not know what to do with the time? :)
Mary,
this is partly autobiographical. i had attended the retirement parties of some of my colleagues in the past and i picked some scenes in the events for this poem. as for me my bosses gave the speeches and i just said "eat!eat!". :D
i agree it's really hard to be put on the spot and asked for an impromptu speech. maybe i won't be able to do it myself.
H. Hennenburg,
"Time to be nourished". oh yes, time to do all the stuff we like! :)
Myrna,
thanks for this insightful comment.
perhaps sometimes when working too long in a job that you probably liked, then there's a certain emotional attachment to it.
as for me, there are mixed feelings, and i was really looking forward to the retirement. :)
Magaly,
😁😁😁
Forty years is a long time!! A well deserved retirement ❤️❤️
It is, Sanaa. :)
thank you!
You should have read them this poem!
Colleen,
🤣
Agnes,
Thank you for the visit to my blog. :)
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