Classic Situation (Revised)
First time in months Mme La Pompadour managed to arise and make
the long, hazardous journey back – instructing all to complete every
job stat, ordering our small work community to walk around partitions
when conversing instead of neighbourly hanging over fences; I sighed
with content, little things stir feelings and we shall have fun again
It has been too quiet and rational without her here to end everyone’s
comfortable life, we shall grumble as she makes existence in the
trenches a living hell – for this we are paid, for this we shall stand
and fall as we toil on behalf of deprived language groups; it is so
good to be the target of aggression
It makes the adrenaline flow, puts our hackles up, unites us against
a common foe who looks down on us, the common folk, while Mme
La Pompadour does as she likes – this is the classic situation of
government employees everywhere, so glad to join the ranks of
the bitterly oppressed…
[ORIGINAL]
For the first time in many months
Madame La Pompadour managed
to get up and make the long and
hazardous journey to work
Instructing all to carry out every job
stat, ordering members of our small
work community to walk around
partitions when conversing
Instead of hanging over the fence in a
neighbourly way; I sighed with content
little things can stir up feelings and
we shall have fun again
It has been too quiet and rational around
here without her contribution to end every
one’s comfortable life, we shall grumble
as she makes life in the trenches
A living hell – fot this we are paid, for this
we shall stand and fall as we toil on behalf
of deprived language groups; it is so good
to be the target of aggression
It makes the adrenaline flow, puts our hackles
up, unites us against a common foe who looks
down on us, the common folk, while Madame
La Pompadour does as she likes
This is the classic situation of government
employees everywhere, so glad to join
the ranks of the oppressed…
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Related quotes
A Prima Donna
Madame La Pompadour cannot come to work,
the world is spinning out of control, her dog
needs medical attention, her car cannot start in
the morning, her dog needs another vet, now
Madame Pompadour's newly built office is
empty - it was given as a compelling condition
for her return to work, yet it seems something
is lacking still, can we guess what it is
Maybe a chauffeur to drive her to work every
morning, a special kennel next to her office so
she can bring her dogs to be with her all day,
maybe a built-in a humidifier so she can breathe
freely without germs, maybe a Jacuzzi so she can
get rid of the tension right here at work, maybe
her own cook and kitchenette so she can order
the right meals with the same aplomb as
A Lady Gaga, surely Madame La Pompadour has
already dethroned both Madonna and Lady Gaga
for being a prima donna who gets her own way!
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Queen à la Marie Antoinette
Come, let us toast, today and evermore,
Madame La Pompadour - Queen à la
Marie Antoinette - of Civil Servants
When continuous absence without leave
was revealed Management refused to be
blamed and called her breach of Labour
Regulations a regrettable psychiatric event
managers prove they were innocent by
rewarding her innovative behaviour
Building her a new office so she can come
and go as she wants, accountable to no-one,
no manager thus in dereliction of duty
Let us toast the eternal reign of the Miracle-
Working Madame La Pompadour, Scourge
of all Government Departments
Teaching common, inferior civil servants the
meaning of her New Imperial Reign over
Labour Relations!
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Exemplary And Lavish Extravagance
Aaah, Madame La Pompadour needs time off
from the office they had built her, soundproof,
air-con, and everything she wants inside, today
she plays chauffer to the children in her neigh-
bourhood and visiting her mother in the old-age
home - she condescendingly told us - though
there is really no need why we should know
where she is, she is the free incumbent
Madame La Pompadour suffers agoraphobia
at home and claustrophobia in the office, her
problems are debilitating; she needs a bigger
office of course, with user-friendly interior
decorating - I sigh in admiration, such a very
exemplary and lavish extravagance, with the
cool presumption that a James Bond would
envy her, she does what she wants
Madame La Pompadour looks down on the
mundane civil servants - us - who man the
open-plan office, why should she earn her
salary like a slave when she gets it without
ever leaving her home?
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Sudden Enlightenment
Maybe telepathic messages between people
do exist, I felt bad, then received SMS from
sis - in bed, ill with something, leading to sud-
den enlightenment when Madame Pompadour
sent her SMS: also in bed, sinus attack
really bad, pain and incontinence
I should never have speculated about lack of
telepathic communication, sis is connected to
a bed-ridden Madame Pompadour, my feeling
ill caused by vibrations from those two - let me
apologise to the genies in the sky for ex-
pressing distrust of telepathy
Today I know everything we think and feel is
diffused through osmosis and picked up by a
sensitive medium like me; let me lock mental
doors, only keep an aperture open for my
lovely colleagues: Pollyanna, Heidi, Maria
Von Trapp and Wendy who said
All is well in Neverland, God is in heaven and
Madame Pompadour in her bed – AMEN –
Heidi replied - eyes twinkling with
merriment…
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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In Her Dark Citadel (Revised)
I am so glad to be led by Madame Pompadour,
her employees are irksome self-motivated prigs
dissatisfied as their central value, the ethic of
the hard-working Calvinist, showing a lack of
ambition; is trampled beneath Madame's feet as
only dishonesty pays, she is ashamed of her
underlings; she says
Madame Pompadour shows grand ambition by
sneering at work ethics and showing utter
disdain for everyone except her own arrogant
self, she spreads the bitterness eating away
at her soul by destroying work enjoyment, re-
lationships and processes, she thrives
on discontent
She detests the culture of her underlings, their
behaviors, attitudes, assumptions, beliefs; it's
an affront contravening her ideal of sharing un-
happiness equally; she stamps on undue diligence,
the unspoken, unwritten rules followed by those
coming in early, leaving late, making every
due date
She counteracts them by staying home, not
being on time, shouting at clients and service
providers alike, playing cards at work; this is
her way to fulfill ambitions her behaviour
proclaims, belittling everyone without rank
or status to fight injustice when she rates
them badly or refuses permission to leave
She runs her world to her satisfaction, no ethic
or moral principle is brooked in her reign of
terror, making a stand Voldemort would envy,
a representative of Nietsche's Ubermensch,
hooray for Madame La Pompadour - supreme
in her dark citadel!
[ORIGINAL]
I am so glad to be led by Madame Pompadour,
she says her employees are irksome by being
self-motivated prigs who are dissatisfied as
their value of a hard-working Calvinist ethic,
shows a lack of ambition in a world where
only dishonesty pays, she is ashamed of
her underlings, she says
Madame Pompadour shows grand ambition by
sneering at work ethics and showing utter
disdain for everyone except her own arrogant
self, she spreads the bitterness eating away at
her soul by destroying work enjoyment, work
relationships and work processes, she thrives
on discontent
She detests the culture of her underlings, their
values, beliefs, assumptions, attitudes and be-
haviors, are an affront that contravenes her ideal
to share her unhappiness equally, she stamps
on undue diligence, the unspoken, unwritten
rules followed by them by coming in early,
leaving late making every due date
She counteracts them by not being on time,
staying home, shouting at clients and service
providers alike, playing cards at work, this is
the way to fulfill ambitions, her behaviour
proclaims, belittling everyone without rank
or status to fight injustice when she rates
them badly or refuses permission to leave
She runs her world to her satisfaction, no ethic
or moral principle is brooked in her reign of
darkness, making a stand that Voldemort would
envy her, hooray for Madame La Pompadour, the
embodiment of Nietsche's Will to Power -
in her dark citadel!
[Based on an article found on the Internet, Voltaire's
Candide and with a reference to Voldemort, the evil
protagonist in the Harry Potter series by JK Rowlings]
http: //humanresources.about.com/od/organizationalcultu re/g/what-is-culture.htm
Culture is the work environment supplied for employees.
Employees are motivated and most satisfied when their needs and
values are consistent with those manifested in your workplace
culture. Culture shapes work enjoyment, work relationships and
work processes.
A particular culture is developed by the employees who work in a
company. Culture is made up of the values, beliefs, underlying
assumptions, attitudes, and behaviors shared by a group of people.
Culture is the resulting behavior when a group arrives at a set
of unspoken and unwritten rules for working together.
The manager controls the key factor necessary to add to motivation,
her relationship with each employee. The second factor is creating
a work environment that fosters employee motivation and engagement.
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Hard Work
Doing back breaking work
Puts a new light on life
Makes you see
How to appreciate life
Getting hands dirty
And mucking in dirt
Makes you realize
That life is hard work
Dusting the cobwebs
And scrubbing the floors
Makes you just love
The hard work
You've just done
It's a labour of love
At a job well done
Now its time to sit back
And relax in the sun
You feel happy content
At all that you've done
So pat your own back
At a job well done
poem by Kaila George
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Longing To Express Feelings
Three of us at work have the same
Astrogenetic sign, conceived in the
same time period, all three have to
be stuffed full of medication in order
to make it in a routine world of duty
without time for dreams and visions
One publishes without marketing so
his books don't sell, then Madame
Pompadour can only work when
held in a soundproof cell, the third,
me, can only sit still when heavily
dosed to stop flow of adrenaline
To stop the surge of feelings within,
all three bound to live in world made
for Capricorns- focused, determined
Virgos- calm and analytical, lovely
Librans weighing pros and cons
Scorpios organised and strong
While we three, genetically marked
by the electromagnetic radiation of
the Gemini-Cancer configuration -
longing to express feelings - must
translate scientific lines - starved,
caged, ear-phoned and drugged
To do our cold work - we should
not be cooped up with the music
in our soul wasted on research of
scientific terms instead of writing
mesmerising lines - I visualise a
wonderful new world in which
We shall be free to officially weave
dreams and feelings to enrich the
lives of the realistic signs and help
Pisceans and Aquarians to refine
their visions; use the enthusiasm
of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius
To accomplish wonderful ideals -
towing languid Taurus along to a
wonderful new world of comfort
in inner peace…
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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See Not At All
The high and mighty lady who seldom
honours state office with her graceful
presence told Madame De Lafayette,
supervisor - off for follow-up tests
Still not coming to the office while the
rest of us are threatened with legal
procedures should we violate any
regulation pertaining to absence
Stunned by these double standards
some openly mimicking Madame La
Pompadour's haughty manner - the
Calvinistic work ethic of colleagues
Enabling them to do her work also, no-
body lodges a complaint; such good
officials, used to oppression for no
apparent reason other than
Management's inefficiency which only
intimidate the law-abiding while serial
offenders are untouchable - best is
to see La Madame not at all…
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Life is Enthralling Journey
Life is Enthralling Journey
All time why do we grumble
when we have the whole thing
We have all we need to live
A happy and comfortable life.
But always we walk restlessly
with ungratefulness and contention
Also we should think about others,
Only not just of ourselves.
For it is in modesty
That one discerns
Proper self-esteem…
When misfortunes hit
It shakes us through and through
We take ir for a time being seriously
But soon we we brush it aside
when it’s over and continue on this
Fascinating ride and start cashing the
situation
Life is enthralling journey
poem by Dr Shamim ali
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Mystified
We are spell-bound, gripped in the clutches
of a mystery of mind-blowing proportions:
Where is Madame La Pompadour, why is
she still gone, why did she SMS on gastro-
intestinal upset and lamenting her
awakening at twenty past eleven
Will she ever return to the office again, will
Human Resources one day carry out its
warning that she is not an asset to the govern-
ment, receiving a salary for no work done; one
long, continuous absence while others do
her job, when will she look at us
Disdainfully again, with the assured arrogance
of one used to command and only rising from
her bed if she feels like it - not very often; what
excuse will she offer next if her health does
not keep deteriorating: buying a night-gown
for mom, geyser burst during the night
A tree to be chopped down, car won't start, dog
to be taken to the vet; she feels depressed
and must see a psychiatrist, she overslept -
like today, her list of excuses being very re-
petitive - How long will Human Resources
and Management keep us
Happily engrossed in guessing the steps to be
taken to deal with the situation, will they give
her merit for the most persistent absentee
encountered in government service, creating
a marvelous plot more complicated than
an Agatha Christie suspense novel
Reminding of ‘They Came to Bagdad' - a
young girl lied all the time, when she finally
spoke the truth no-one believed her - we
are all riveted by the unfolding of this mystery
fascinated and mystified by the daring
exploits of our own Madame
Showing cowards how to go once started
on the road to flaunt the establishment,
we can only shout encouragement:
Way to go Madame, Good Luck!
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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There Must Be An Easier Way
To earn one's living there must be an easier way
Than working in a menial job for menial pay
You age so fast your hair prematurely gray
And you must work hard till your retirement day.
When you ask the boss for a raise his answer no
For a raise in pay you must have more to show
The unemployed are many and the jobs are few
And there's plenty more to do the job you do.
At 5.30 a m each work day from bed I rise
Before daylight has lit the morning skies
Then long drive to work in smoky old work van
Such is the lot of the common working man.
The chap next door seems better off than I
He does not work yet life he does enjoy
Whilst I'm at work he rest at home in bed
And he doesn't look deprived or underfed
With six year old son and a non working wife
He live an easy and a stress free life
And I've heard it said that he's never worked a day
But good luck to him is all that I can say.
I do not receive or seek sympathy
For there are many far worse off than me
But living life would be a lot more fun
If I did not have to rise before the sun
poem by Francis Duggan
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Work
WHEN I am busying about,
Sewing on buttons, tapes, and strings,
Hanging the week's wet washing out
Or ironing the children's things,
Sweeping and dusting, cleaning grates,
Scrubbing the dresser or the floors,
Washing the greasy dinner plates,
Scouring the brasses on the doors--
I wonder what it's all about,
And when did people first begin
To keep the dirt and wornness out
And keep the wholesome comfort in:
How long it is since women bore
This round of wash and make and mend,
And what God makes us do it for
And whether it will ever end!
When God began to do His work
He made a new thing every day--
Even now He is not one to shirk,
But makes things, always some new way
He made the earth, and sky, and sun,
The creatures of the sea and wood,
And when his first week's work was done
He saw that it was very good.
But He--for all He worked so fast
To finish air, and wave, and shore,
Knew that this work of His would last
For ever and for evermore.
On Saturday night He was content,
He knew that Monday would not bring
Need for another firmament,
Another set of everything.
But though my work is easier far
Than making sky and sea and sun,
It's harder than God's labours are,
Because my work is never done.
I sweep and churn, save and contrive,
I bake and brew, I don't complain,
But every Monday morning I've
Last Monday's work to do again.
I'm good at work--I work away;
Always the same my work must go;
The flowers grow different every day,
That's why I like to see them grow.
If, up in Heaven, God understood
He'd let me for my Paradise
Make all things new and very good
And never make the same thing twice!
poem by Edith Nesbit
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A birth of poet
Has any one thought over?
Almighty has given gift to him or her
How does the ideas emanate from void mind?
Music in action and feelings very kind
The ideas to role out for vicious world
Happiness and joy for all to hold
Can poetry exist without impetus?
The writer can exist by his status
God might have given special third sense
Free flow of thoughts even without being tense
This is how the journey has begun with birth of poet
Love to all in his imagery world and keep quiet
He does nothing special for performance
He certainly weighs facts at once
Leaving all worries for the common cause
Forgetting for self and think what he was?
This is how he has come in to being
World at his feet without being called a king
What makes water to fall in from of raining?
It doesn’t require any guidance or proper training
His heart pains for others agony
H doesn’t work it for gain or money
He has the mighty thoughts to work as key
No slavery in his world and to make all free
poem by Hasmukh Amathalal
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It doesn't happen very often that you get to work with some really good friends of yours and there's a common language between everyone, you don't have to explain what you're doing, you can just run with it. It makes it just so much easier and more relaxed.
quote by Elizabeth Perkins
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Common Ground
Written by neil diamond, tom hensley, and alan lindgren
If you love me,
Say you love me.
These are words we find hard to share.
Would you trust me?
Could I trust you?
Will you always want me there?
Or is this just some game called nothin goes right?
Is this just me to blame
For making these endless nights?
And who do we think we are,
Some kind of cosmic shooting stars?
No were not.
Havent got all that time.
Got to find a common ground,
Not the other way around
For you and i.
We need to walk on common ground.
We need to make a lovin sound.
While we got time,
We got to try.
Were you loving?
Was I caring?
These are feelings too hard to measure.
Ill be loving.
You be caring.
Will it always feel this way?
Or will we find the way to make it alright?
Will that sun come someday
To wake up this endless night?
And who do we think we are,
Some kind of cosmic shooting stars?
No, were not.
Havent got all that time.
Looking for a common ground,
Not the other way around
For you and i.
Got to find a common ground.
Need to make a lovin sound
While we got time,
You and i.
And we still have the time to make it work right,
Make that sun come to shine
And wake up this endless night.
And who do we think we are,
Some kind of cosmic shooting stars?
No were not.
Havent got all that time.
Got to find a common ground,
Not the other way around,
You and i.
Got to walk on common ground.
Got to make some lovin sounds.
We got time to look for some common ground,
Find a lovin sound,
You and i.
Lookin for a common ground,
Not the other way around
For you and i.
Got to walk on common ground,
You and i.
song performed by by Neil Diamond
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sonnet: Goodness Prevails
Birds of the same feather flock together;
Men of goodwill work for the commonweal;
Men of evil-minds work with common zeal;
Like-minded men work in a joint manner.
A pack of Wolves attack a flock of Sheep;
Lions join forth to take on one Zebra;
Turkeys die from one poisonous Cobra;
Sinners off sin, one saintly man can keep.
Union is strength in good things or in bad,
Amidst the law-maker or law-breaker;
Groups and killers unite in this world mad;
The good do suffer but God is their Keeper!
The world looks good still ’cause of a good few;
White color lightens any other hue!
poem by John Celes
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An Internet Culture!
It unites people,
Creates friendships
And develops love!
It makes publication of
Articles, short stories,
Novels and poems
Easier than before!
It makes impossible things possible
And makes talents never go waste in life!
Internet culture has made the big world
Into small village within the palm of man!
The development of this culture
Will make life better than before!
poem by Ramesh T A
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Everything She Wants
Somebody told me
Boy everything she wants is everything she sees
I guess i must have loved you
Because i said you were the perfect girl for me, baby
And now we're six months older
And everything you want and everything you see
Is out of reach not good enough
I don't know what the hell you want from me
Somebody tell me
(won't you tell me)
Why i work so hard for you
(to give you money, work to give you money)
Some people work for a living
Some people work for fun
Girl i just work for you
They told me marriage was give and take
Well you've shown me you can take
You've got some giving to do
And now you tell me that your having my baby
I'll tell you that i'm happy if you want me to
But one step further and my back will break
If my best isn't good enough
Then how can it be good enough for two
I can't work any harder than i do
Somebody tell me
(won't you tell me)
Why i work so hard for you
(to give you money, work to give you money)
Oh why do i do the things i do
I'd tell you if i knew
My god, i don't even think that i love you
(won't you tell me)
(to give you money, work to give you money)
How could you settle
For a boy like me
When all i could see
Was the end of the week
All the things we sign
And the things we buy
Ain't gonna keep us together
It's just a matter of time
My situation
Never changes
Walking in and out of that door
Like a stranger
For the wages
I give you all
You say you want more
And all i could see
Was the end of the week
All the things we sign
And the things we buy
Ain't gonna keep us together
Girl it's just a matter of time
song performed by by George Michael
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Common Day
We arrive at school
Then we say hello
We go about our day
We both leave school
Then we say goodbye
We head on home
This is our common day
Like most friends it makes us happy
You could say we have a strong bond
Two buddies just hanging out
A common day for common folk
Just two of a kind
We arrive at school
Then we say hello
We go about our day
We both leave school
You don’t say goodbye
Something is wrong
What has happened?
Our routine has changed
Why did you change it?
Did I do something wrong?
You look sad
I will talk to you tomorrow
I arrive at school
I can’t say hello
You are not there
I leave school
I can’t say goodbye….ever again
Why did you take your life?
poem by Paul Celano
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Tales Of Horror and Suspense
Madame Pompadour honoured us by graciously
informing the Department a terrible bug bit her in
the neck during the night, must have been Dracula
we immediately surmised, she a Damsel in distress
trying her best not to waste her time with the rest
of us plebs in the open-plan office, her door must
have been open and the evil monster attacked
perfectly on cue; mesmerised by the marvellous
adventures of our haughty Madame keeping her
head high while one event is followed by the next
incident; her list of original excuses is growing and
soon we shall publish a book delineating the lovely
progress of her exciting life, enlivening bureaucracy
with tales of Horror and Suspense!
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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