Tax
Emma Hammond

What about these Dinner Lady positions?
say Job Thing, her face all atoms. The poster
behind her shows a Magical Negro learning New
Skills. You must use a teaspoon to empty out the
River Thames into the mouths of Lost Children.
Her lips go Interrobang. Should’ve had an abortion-
Gin / coat hanger then straight back to your desk
on Mundee. Looking for a Job: a Job in itself.
Hardworking Taxpayer spins sad on a pivot-

clean out of Meal Deals. Particle Lady
spells out Workfare by rolling a boulder slowly
up and down my arm. She is punctured
skin in pools on the Job Centre floor, soft
money that trickles to my useless hands. My feet
stuck fast in molten fury- How will I get back
to my Luxury Lifestyle now? I chose wrong!
My arm rises and plunges a Biro into my own chest.
The adventure ends here.