11
THE RESTRUCTURE enjoys displays of conspicuous depravity
wearing masks of out-of-date filo pastry,
waits for the correct good sunlight
to make charity cases of ex-chief executives,
approaches any free desk to seek clarity
on all four definitions of lactate,
declares its i.d. with THE RESTRUCTURE’s
Certificate of Sanity (to be reissued at point
of confession) – You know I love
this time of year but I miss what we had
so much – at least THE RESTRUCTURE
has defined a skinny fire as a candle
even when it’s out-of-control & guides us to know
that the entrée’s ready when the prawns start to cry,
creates its own cocktails such as Dark Gentleman
and backs horses such as Everyday Eclipse,
keeps strips of silver-red in every cupboard
to snackfeed on the synaesthetic shimmer
and never consciously employs wrong-uns,
only right-uns with irresolvable issues –
the truth is that nobody knows what the next
twelve months has in-store for any of us –
so THE RESTRUCTURE sweeps out its New Year
mindtank of blue bags, onions & brown & white news,
enjoys how the dogging light burns brighter
some nights, even at the same wattage,
drinks imitation drinks such as Jaypeg Beach
to relax as the eyelids flicker,
looks downwards at those who bicker by text
like bulimic mice in a biscuit tin,
recycles consumable goldcoins to re-ply
gold fillings & then snacks on ground bullets,
says impinge when it means purge,
jog when it means last-strobe cardiac
then defines its own mission-logo
as a shift-around in function,
with the bipolarity of the orange
stresses that the pips in your throat
only choke if you pause to sift the pith
of questions fired like a spammed missive
12
THE RESTRUCTURE recommends abstention
from heroin because it gives terrible wind,
looks down on the burst veins crawling
each colleague’s nostrils thinking busted flush
even as it makes a mental note to Xerox their work
later – plagiarism only ever being defined
as unacknowledged borrowing – and for birthday gifts
invents the Betamax Codpiece to make orgasms obsolete –
We don’t get paid any extra for this you know
the metre stopped at five-thirty, the rest
is about adding value (to those around you).
Have you seen any good films lately
I wouldn’t mind something with fairies in to help escape,
but THE RESTRUCTURE has issued all new-comers
with limited edition hardback copies of
A Gentleman’s Guide to Calculating Winning Bets
and ensures all bookmakers tighten their odds
by at least fifty-one percent,
offers canapés of smooth softcheese
sprinkled with a woodlouse grit –
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse
some cunt on the tube soaked me with coffee-froth,
then THE RESTRUCTURE introduced a new policy
on the Human Condition to reduce each person
to pork sold at below-cost price
issued at The Halal Helpdesk
to ensure the animal knows its life was wasted
commissions keyrings from the scratchings –
I hate having my lunch this late it means
I’m not hungry for my dinner when I get home,
at least the mice have left my cupboards alone
THE RESTRUCTURE issued me glue for the walls
and the vermin sticks live through the night
waving in the dawn with their arthritic high fives
13
THE RESTRUCTURE reminds you of a man that isn’t there
that due to market dynamics wants his conkers back
and will not, under these circumstances, shares its Sunday
roast with no-marks, becomes asexual at the suggestion
of a free escort but still packs black tights
– if there’s a bank hold-up time can still be utilized –
and divides all colleagues into larks & owls
to train both to be ready for the afternoon chorus,
sends obituaries by text message followed with five kisses,
makes emotionally intense scenes from real lives (plasticine on HD)
creates a H&S package for anyone who falls on their thumbs
in the wrong fashion, stays awake for many nights
– called THE RSTRUCTURE nightwatch – to ensure its throat
remains wet (the trip-switch of conscious salivation)
then drains transparently on the pillow. Simon’s decided
to take the money & cut ship, he’s had enough
sd Yes the jobs are ringfenced but in reality
things have changed, then THE RESTRUCTURE
offered a string of soundbites as advice, sd
ringfence yourself (as if you’re next)
ringfence your desk (your colleague’s got foot & mouth)
ringfence your texts (in case you mis-send)
ringfence your wife (she doubles in a single bed)
ringfence your pint (avoid a round at all expense)
ringfence for lent (abstention can’t be got back).
I couldn’t believe it, the whole team went
to look for Saxon London & found only modern
rubbish in trodden layers, then got back late
to cover my break saying THE RESTRUCTURE
had taken a penny whistle to the funeral
and blew like death is just a trouser-loss & after
the coffin descended went down to the Wake
signing up the mourners to a course Remembering
Manners in Moments of Crisis, offering nibbles
of live insects to speed up the protein fix
recommending that to help improve their lives
they should consider giving things up, such as,
THE RESTRUCTURE says, snuff movies for lent
© 2009
Salt Publishing Limited 
