Professional Development

I paint a pretty picture from tears and blood,

spinning what I've endured into positives.

Look how much I've learned and all I've done,

I brag through forced smiles,

listing off accomplishments I had no choice but to achieve.

See the changes I've made and things I've fixed,

I tally them on my resume like a lifeline,

deeming this unsustainable mandate professional development.

Never mind the way my right eye twitches, and please disregard the nosebleed.

The result won't show the suffering it took to get there,

and that's all she cares about at the top

where she can't see the damage she did in the first place.

At least I can use the paintings as an escape route.