Learning The Rules Of The Game Poem by Sarah Mkhonza

You work and nobody tells you,
That the lines were drawn long,
Before you stepped on the door,
Of this new work place.

You find the words coming hurled,
They discourage your best efforts,
For praise does not do it here,
Where cliques do the railing uphill.

You sit and wonder what now,
Not knowing sitting is not it,
You need to figure out the rules,
For you cannot stand hate behind
The eyes of those who run this world.

You look at groups with suspicion,
Yet you came to be a part of this,
You are no prince with a land here,
You have to know the system kills,
And throws away those who fail to tango,
For bosses are judges not dancers.

Who told you work was for wimps?
Who laugh and joke and do little,
Then expect pay at the end of the day.
Grow up it is about mingling,
And rubbing shoulders with Joe,
For he holds the baton.

Don't complain that you are hated,
Knowing the rules is the real game,
Learning to play polka is just that,
You cannot gamble on your life here,
For your purse will be forever empty.

Every place has rules of life.
You either know them or you don't,
Don't kid yourself by sucking your thumb,
And hoping that it will turn into a pen
And write the paper you did not submit,
It is called not understanding your job,
When your name is called and you are empty handed.