Last Day at Lehman's

Over by the water fountain,
the skirts are standing close;
lips are closer still to ears
passing on bad news.

Cooped up in the battery
a rumour quickly spreads,
the atmosphere is fetid
with words we leave unsaid.

We have our bread and circuses
and another empire falls
we stand defiant gossiping
drowning out the bells.

No-one knows the culprits
we daren't mention names,
our jobs evaporating;
we play the age-old games.