my empathy for the stapler

there are a lot of things 

i haven't used

in a long time.

that stapler for instance.

the one i stole

from my office job

when i got laid off

for being lazy and incompetent.

too busy

with socializing,

but that's a whole other story.

back to the stapler.

it's simple and black,

heavy,

full of staples,

just sitting there, dusty,

waiting for a few

sheets of paper to join together.

my empathetic

nature makes me get up

and find paper.

i slide two sheets

under the mouth

of the black

stapler, like i used to do

back in my office days,

and give it a whack.

there you go.

back in business.