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
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
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
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
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
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
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
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
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
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
I See A New Scene
Physiotherapist advice, neck to be fixed,
moving like an Egyptian backwards only
I See A New Scene for the Government
Service Opera; a line of civil servants in
front of computers - a bell rings and all
move their heads in Egyptian style
Wagner's Valkyries arrive on their flying
steeds singing ho-to-jo - and when civil
servants fall forward, dead in their chair,
a Valkyrie flies them to a special Govern-
mental Valhalla where they are treated
to an eternal Governmental Indaba
A Vision and Mission Statement event
at a dusty lodge, endless speeches fol-
lowed by team-building games; all acted
out with great gusto to warn civil servants
not to die in their chairs…
poem by Margaret Alice Second
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Accountable As Incumbent
We continue to admire the example set by our
high ranking official at work, she stayed home,
claiming heated argument with siblings injured
her health, she is a mess; won't do anything as
boring and trivial as come to the office
As she gets paid a large salary and car allowance
whether she comes to work or not, never fills in
a holiday or sick leave form to declare absence
because she has none left - yet everyone else
is constrained to live by bureaucratic rules
We just sigh longingly and wish we were given the
same freedom to do as we please, never comply
with the request to account for every breath, to
prove where we've been and explain where we
are going, wondering how it came about
That she was elevated above the Chief Director,
higher than the Minister, absolutely beyond the
requirement to be accountable as incumbent -
maybe she is related to the Queen of England,
such a fitting description for our illustrious
Madame La Pompadour, her bizarre behaviour is
condoned and encouraged in our Department -
though her burlesque is entertaining, she has
failed to gain any followers as yet, we seem
to be unable to learn anything from
Her continuous barrage of weird excuses to
explain her frequent absences - what is
WRONG with us?
poem by Margaret Alice Second
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
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
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
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
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
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
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
There is a human capital crisis in the federal government. Not only are we losing the decades of talent as civil servants retire, we are not doing enough to develop and nurture the next generation of public servants.
quote by Daniel Akaka
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
A Passing Glance
Madame La Pompadour took hold of
my document, an anonymous letter to
the President descrying him as well as
the Government, and used it to attack
the kindest of beings in the office
building - I saw red - went mad
Exploded like a bomb, shouted like a
banshee, jumped up and down, nearly
burst a vein, muscles tightening with
hatred - deep, red, deadly - welling up
inside me for such nasty arrogance; ‘tis
a real test of character for me
To be free to CHOOSE my actions - I'm
turning the other cheek since I am such
a cheeky person, putting my power be-
hind the principles I believe in, choosing
the path of dignity - ugliness never is
worth more than a passing glance
poem by Margaret Alice Second
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Temporary teams of trusted people are generally sent to all Departments and to major agencies of government to assist in planning and to acquaint the incoming administration with the civil servants and bureaucracy that will remain in place in the new Administration.
quote by Richard V. Allen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
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
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Madame de la Pompadour (Revised)
Madame de la Pompadour puts Darcy’s condescending
aunt in ‘Pride and Prejudice’, Lady Catherine de Bourgh,
to shame by being more arrogant than said worthy Lady
ever was when scolding the poor into harmony and plenty
Madame declines to come to work like we poor peasants
yet regards Mary Poppins disdainfully, judging her useful
discovery of an element of diversionary fun in boring
jobs a doddle that is wanting in every ethical respect
She’s blissfully above ethics involved in rigidly maintaining
State policy regarding personal leave, stays home indolently
claiming social life ineffable excuse to remain insensitive
of mutual obligations towards her State employer
Scolding one and all into administrative prowess and bland,
textbook translations finely tuned to dissonant registers in which
the original score was produced - while emitting clouds of smoke
that would be the envy of a Cruella DeVille planning to
make coats from Dalmatian skins; Hannibal Lecter in ‘Silence
of the Lambs’ would be proud to claim her acquaintance as
fellow cannibal and Pollyanna, who routinely finds excuses for
delinquents, failed come up with quaint innovative pretexts
making a catch-all smoke-screen valid for the Madame’s
continuous absence – only Sherlock Holmes would be able
to find dysfunctional clues particular to which mental screws
are loose in Madame’s imperious imbalanced indolence…
[ORIGINAL]
Madame de la Pompadour puts Darcy’s condescending
aunt Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice to
shame by being even more arrogant than that worthy Lady
ever was when scolding the poor into harmony and plenty
While Madame cannot come to work like the rest of the
poor peasants; she regards Mary Poppins with a disdain-
ful eye, finding her discovery of an element of fun in every
job that has to be done, wanting in every ethical respect
While blissfully ignorant of the ethics involved in following
State Policy regarding leave, gaily stays at home claiming
her social life as valid excuse for remaining obtuse re obli-
gations towards an employer, scolding one and all into
Administrative prowess and bland, textbook translations
finely tuned to the dissonant register in which the original
score was produced - while emitting clouds of smoke that
would be the envy of a Cruella DeVille planning to make
Coats from Dalmatian skins, Hannibal Lecter in Silence of
the Lambs would be proud to claim her acquaintance as a
fellow cannibal, Pollyanna always finds excuse for every
delinquent, but even she can no longer come up with
Pretexts that would make a valid smoke-screen for the
Madame’s continuous absence – only Sherlock Holmes
would be able to find clues as to which screws are loose
in Madame’s unfathomable mental processes…
poem by Margaret Alice Second
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Drives To Tears
Oh happy day, Madame De Pompadour stays
in bed yet again, it's been ages since she saw
the sun, her majesty's presence is required for
celebrations indefinitely deferred until Madame
appears again, the brightest jewel on the velvet
background of our little office universe
Since taking cortisone some time after Monday
she has been nauseous, groggy and nauseous
again today, hearts bleeding in sympathy - so
much pain and suffering in one lifetime, it is
unthinkable, all tremble as they hear the
news, trying to determine
What medical abuse could be the cause of such
long, wasting illness, it sounds like radiation sick-
ness, a malady of heart and soul, though she looks
glamorous and young when she brings a surprise
visit to the office, it is just a ruse, underneath she
is most terribly ill, need's a specialist's skill
To get her up again and then it doesn't last long,
it is quite clear good health is just a mask she
wears - underneath she must be hiding a life
that is just wasting away, driving us to tears
poem by Margaret Alice Second
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Work Chronicles Tues 22.11.2011
Mary Poppins is dying of boredom,
don’t know what Pollyanna is doing,
Maria von Trapp is bustling as always,
Heidi is diligently doing administration
Madame La Pompadour discreetly stays
in her bed and only moves to her couch
when vertigo and double vision abate
What is the use of finding the element
of fun in every job to be done when the
cake Mary Poppins enjoyed in the park
before riding the Merry-Go-Round in a
race, is shrinking her mind - here is a
mystery that would have thrilled Anastasia
Krupnik no end: Why did Mary Poppins
Consume two slices of cake and why did
she have only one sinus pill - since every
good thriller needs a murder or corpse,
let us add, though we’re sitting on the
sixth floor which used to be a hospital,
we have not seen or felt a disembodied
presence or strange energy
This Kingsley building does not offer any
respite from breathing desultory air while
wondering how to kill time to get to the
end of this day…
Mary Poppins – Me
Pollyanna – Hanlie
Maria Von Trapp – Hermien
Heidi (Johanna Spyri) – June
Madame La Pompadour – our very sick boss
Anastasia Krupnik – character in a book
series written by Lois Lowry
poem by Margaret Alice Second
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Amazing Audacity (Revised)
Our recalcitrant colleague,
esteemed Mme Pompadour,
solved problem of being at
the office, Monday she said
booked off till today - called,
feels nauseous, can't come
in - why when she's already
arranged to stay away?
Difficult to make up sick leave
on the go, keep track what was
said when, ad hoc improvisation
on the spot - maybe she should
develop ethical standards, more
consistency in stories; we feel so
sorry when her tales go awry
Though I am glad to say that
management seems happy
with whatever she does, making
us proud by getting away with
anything, what lovely duplicity,
all has to admire and applaud
such amazing audacity!
[ORIGINAL: ]
Our recalcitrant colleague, most esteemed
Mme Pompadour - solved the problem of
irrelevant work at the office, Monday she
said booked off till Wednesday, today all
forgotten, called to say she took cortisone,
feels nauseous, she can't come in today,
why when already arranged to stay away?
It must be difficult to make up sick leave on
the go, keep track of what you said when -
ad hoc improvisation on the spot - maybe
she should write it down, develop ethical
standards-consistency in her own stories,
we feel so sorry for her when we can see
her intricate tales are going awry - though
Apparently management is happy with what-
ever she does, making us proud by getting
away with anything - what lovely duplicity,
all has to applaud such amazing audacity
poem by Margaret Alice Second
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Joys Of Life (Revised)
Luxuriously caressed by camaraderie, Hanlie weaving
such threads of happy, bright-smile delight; June being
mischievously buoyant, Hermien devoted to conscien-
tious duty and an elfin interest in what is going on
while Mapula looks great
Ulrike an uplifting perfectionist determined to never hurt
anybody, making sure everyone is OK – finally, end of
day; while I complain about my incompetency Hanlie
is laughing; feeling inferior is one of the perks of the
job - she happily claims
As translators too often feel superior to scholars con-
fining themselves to academic posts; June reporting
a ‘healthy’ person happily donating blood on request
while her own was refused due to iron deficiency, we
recommend bed rest and medicine
Quoting Madame la Pompadour’s amazing strategy -
Hanlie an epitome of inner beauty, June doing thank-
less proofreading jobs – while I glow with inner
delight, wafting home in joyous surrender
to the joys of life…
poem by Margaret Alice Second
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Lily And The Rose
The nymph must lose her female friend
If more admired than she, -
But where will fierce contention end
If flowers can disagree?
Within the garden's peaceful scene
Appeared two lovely foes,
Aspiring to the rank of queen,
The Lily and the Rose.
The Rose soon reddened into rage,
And swelling with disdain,
Appealed to many a poet's page
To prove her right to reign.
The Lily's height bespoke command,
A fair imperial flower,
She seemed designed for Flora's hand,
The sceptre of her power.
This civil bickering and debate
The goddess chanced to hear,
And flew to save, ere yet too late,
The pride of the parterre.
Yours is, she said, the nobler hue,
And yours the statelier mien,
And till a third surpasses you,
Let each be deemed a queen.
Thus soothed and reconciled, each seeks
The fairest British fair,
The seat of empire is her cheeks,
They reign united there.
poem by William Cowper
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Civil Slaves
We are not civil servants
We are civil slaves
Servants work
and get paid
Slaves work
without being paid
like us
poem by Chanda Nsofu
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!