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Counting Bodies

Janet Kuypers, 04/15/10

tried to get a job at the mall
they never returned my call

applied for a job in a strip store
I filled out the form, but my problem

is that I answered the questions honestly

when they ask if you’ve ever done drugs
it’s best to lie

even applied for a job in a liquor store
now, I have experience in drinking

but not in stocking bottles
or cleaning liquor store floors

so someone said that the government
was looking for employees

they need you to walk the streets,
ask questions, keep records

and I thought, I’m organized
I work hard, I can do this

and a government job would be sweet
they pay really well

and it would be funny to say
that I was a government employee

so I got on line, learned about the census
all I’d be doing was walking around

making a list, checking it twice
I’d be in charge of counting the bodies

as sick as it sounds,
it has a certain ring to it

so I called to schedule my evaluation,
went to the government building early

found out I wasn’t even on the map
they looked for employees from

but I took the test anyway,
struck the icicles as I left for my car

I thought about the records
the Greek Kings, the Greek government kept

of the men they executed

I thought about the detailed Nazi records
of Jews working in camps, of Jews gassed

and how we had to come in
and count the bodies

and I thought
hmmm

I never was called from the cencus bureau
it was like they knew my mind:

“you filled out your forms
we don’t need you for anything else”

and I thought
hmmm

maybe I shouldn’t have applied for this job
maybe I shouldn’t be working for the government

maybe they knew I shouldn’t be a part of their system
falling into line and counting bodies

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