down the steps to the basement
slice of pizza for my mouth
say hello to the boys in news

ME wants my thirds on her desk by 10
I'll do my best
but I'll probably be here 'til 2

walk past the morgue up to my desk
which is also the break room
I've been charged with a task
I'm in charge of a page
gotta make that Sudoku

check my inbox
weed through the crap
grab another slice of pizza
in time to layout my page

I'm responsible for this thing
50,000 college kids waiting for
their comics today

I'm a newsman's son
paper's in my blood
sucking life from fluorescent bulbs
work 10 hours a day
for 20 dollars in pay
but no one minds that we work for crumbs

start the presses

Inks and Keck making out on the sofa
Scotty in the loading dock talking and smoking

I remember the days when people
held it in their hands
turn the page tuck it under the arm

take it with on a bus ride
it's not electric or compact
but it's never without its charm

line a parrot cage
make a pirate hat
throw it out when you've read it
it's a thankless job
in a trench coat and hat
from the notes the the edit

spilled my coffee but it's OK
got another cup of Joe
and a Red Bull in waiting for this

time to script-set and check the negatives
my page is done
print is dead when we say it is

walk up the stairs
to the empty box
tomorrow we'll have people talking
soon the trucks will go out
and fill the box with fresh ink
like a square Christmas stocking

start the presses

Richard and Tim making sure we do our work
Flannery thumbing through her AP style book