Tag: unemployment

Witches welcome

~ poolsidelaureate ~ 1 Comment

This post draws from two inspirations: one, the Poolside Laureate is between jobs and looking for work; and two, the Barcelona street sweepers are a peculiar feature of our cityscape. They always seem to work in pairs (in case one of them is attacked?), and they use charming brooms that could be farm implements straight out of the middle ages. Ah! there is a third inspiration… public sector jobs here require level of language proficiency in Catalan. 

O, Sister! Can you spare a broom?

O, Sister! Can you spare a broom?
I'll help you sweep the street.
I just need a little money
so the kids and I can eat.

Every job I ask for,
they say I’m overqualified!
I sure don’t understand it.
I’m frankly mystified.

I’m not too good to push a broom;
I’d like to work outdoors.
There's no shame in honest work,
and all of us do chores.

Slim chance they’ll hire me I guess,
I can't conjugate the verbs 
required on the language test
that lets you sweep the curbs.

Division of Labor

~ poolsidelaureate ~ Leave a comment

The explanation behind this poem will come in the next post!

                                                                                                                                                                                                             16_taxis_bcn
 
Division of Labor

Sixteen taxis, waitin' in line,
I don't need one, walkin's fine.

They say there isn't work for all,
since the economy took that fall.

I say,

What work is that? Compared to those
Who mop the floors and iron clothes!

When crises come, it takes a man
to see no work where women can.

Beneath your dignity, you say?
Then wait in line another day!