work gets me up in the morning
work gets me down

work brings food to the table
work feeds my insecurities

work wakes me up at 7am on a Sunday
work does not stop

work gives me purpose and opportunities
work makes me feel too old and too young at the same time

work makes my family proud
work drives me nuts

when did work become a full time job?
when did my work become me?

have I embraced the grind?
have I become a slave to the machine?
where do I fit in my work?

I thought it was a team sport –
not petty office drama,
I thought it was a clean slate –
no insurmountable expectations,
I thought it would be beautiful –
not stress eating at your desk,
I thought I would be free –
not yearning for the end