Cutting Corners. Spurning responsibility

November Poem Day #10

Cutting Corners. Spurning responsibility.

Life has become about cutting corners.
I am saddened by this;
others are nonchalant,
thinking things will happen
much faster, more efficiently.

Cutting corners. Shunning responsibility!

Yet, cutting corners really means
cheaper goods, half-baked schemes,
shoddy workmanship,
doors that don’t really hang straight,
windows that let in air,
laisser-faire attitudes,
sloping floors, tiles that don’t line up,
hellos and how are yous
that really don’t mean much.
If we are already way past them
to even answer, forgetting
we have even seen them

Cutting corners. Snubbing responsibility.

Even productivity plummeted,
causing shortages, havoc with inflation,
and bottom lines to suffer—
mostly my bottom line.
Formerly ½ gallon ice cream boxes
dipped to 1.75 quarts,
now some at 1.5 quarts;
yet, they charge just as much
or even more.

Cutting corners. Shifting responsibility

Even potato chips bags
are now just seven ounces,
and the bag is still half empty.
Students at all levels cut corners,
try to cajole their parents
to do their homework,
cheat on tests,
copy off the kid who always does
their homework, lie about
where they have been,
arrive late to work
and try to explain it away.
Cutting corners boils down
to not taking responsibility.
A blame game.
You see, it’s your fault
that I am the mess that I am.

Cutting corners. Shirking responsibility.

I could go on and on and on.
We have all experienced it,
currently experiencing it,
and will continue to experience it.
Pretty soon, there will be no corners
to cut or spin around.
They will have dissolved into thin air,
sucking the life right out of us.

Cutting corners. Shuffling responsibility.

November 10, 2022