On the Clock

The customers have been asking
if I work here.
Fed-ex came through the back door, and left me all alone;
“Where’s the bathroom?” The kid has to take a leak.
Have you noticed the security cameras?
And the manager, knowing nothing else to do, viewing the screens?
And the computer’s out of service.
As usual, some #s between 1-40 mean 0
and the manager can’t find ‘musicals’
and the manager can’t find things
and she’s having trouble.

The manager can’t find ‘musicals’
and you can’t find “The Last Night of the Earth”
even with seven copies
and I guarantee you that she will hate you
from the bottom of her screen
with the date, and friends you spoke to lying,
“You just can’t run a business without her”
and the manager can’t find ‘musicals.’

The manager can’t find ‘musicals’
and the clocks on the phone are off
and time won’t be your friend
and the rule-maker’s comfie
at home with mother
and the manager can’t find ‘musicals’
without fear of contradiction I say
the manager can’t find ‘musicals.’

Our Father, who art surrounded by goods,
hallowed be thy name
thy kingdom come, thy will be done
on Earth as it is in totes of stock,
give us this day our daily bucks
forgive us our wasting
as we forgive those who continue to waste against us
and lead us not into spentation
but deliver us from primitive things that end up in the dumpster.

Because the manager can’t find ‘musicals’
And she’s your friend not mine
Because the manager can’t find ‘musicals’
And she’s not my responsibility.

The boxes are stacked
cream puff tree paper yellow
and the owner is just an apparition
hallucinated by those with no green.

I’m diving down, hang on to me, I’m
down going.
Watch me live off coverless whatzitz
I know I can do it, I’m in control
and the manager can’t find ‘musicals’
and she’s embarrassing me
she's passed the job to someone else

and the café’s on fire
and all the magazines are fake
and the registers crapped out
and I’ve got a feeling the manager can’t find things
--just a hunch
and she’s going to lunch.