Working Stiff

He works on the line
At the local factory
Doing the 3 to 11 shift.
It is hard work,
Tedious and boring,
But he has been
Doing it so long,
He can practically
Do it with his eyes shut.
It is a job
He loves to hate.
About all he can say
In its favor
Is it puts food
On the table.
His buddies and him
Collect at the local pub
Each afternoon
To shoot the breeze,
Complain about life,
Down a couple beers,
And maybe play
A few rounds of pool.
He has a wife
And a couple of kids,
But he doesn’t seem
Overly anxious
To get back home.
It is a routine
He has fallen into,
Devoid of all passion
Mindless
Of the passing time,
And numb to
The sense of being alive.