Thanks for the good poetry Glenys.
With our company always on call
we were rostered on different shifts
though some did only night shifts.
Some of us died young,
under retiring age.
All those who died within
my ten years there had
only worked night shifts
for at least several years.
Doris had a brain tumour
Enid had stomach cancer
May had lung cancer
Alf had a massive heart attack.
Young Jack was medicated
for seizures. He went to
sleep one night for ever.
Relief workers came in
each time staff attended
yet another funeral.
We all knew those who passed away
had spent so long on night shifts
yet no one questioned it.
I do wonder
are our bodies
chewed up turning
day into night
night into day ?
For some do not survive night shift.
Originally posted 13 March 2016.
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