Performance Appraisal

Working head it was called
to increase the pressure in the shower
the hot water exhaust was raised
to 15 feet above the roof line
it’s very high I said to the plumber
“can’t see it from my place,” his reply.

“Can’t see it from my place,” became a family catchcry
applied when politicians obfuscated
world leaders denied torture
insider trading ruled inconclusive.

When the scandal broke – clergy and paedophilia
they couldn’t see it from the Vatican.
Silence
or denial.

He stood to give the final blessing
self-conscious
lost almost
as if suddenly called upon to speak
without notes or preparation.

He said being a priest was like any job
you didn’t really know what it was like
until you did it
but if a job description was required
it could be compressed to one key task
and one printed line.
“To set an example.”

“We now know many have failed to do so
what they had done was sinful
and wrong.”
He could see it from his place.