the ball and chain days

I remember when the boss
used to whip
us.
he had a long leather whip
black
and oiled
with barbs on the end.
it was office
work. we were hunched over desks
in cubicles,
a ball and chain strapped
to our ankles,
but in the back there
was a dungeon,
next to the copier,
and reams of paper
where we'd be punished
for our many transgressions.
sometimes
they'd lay us out on
the stretching machine and
pull our arms
and legs in four different
directions.
did we work more efficiently,
yes,
did we take shorter
coffee and lunch breaks, yes.
did we drink more
at happy hour, and steal staplers,
yes.