elevators

No matter how high I went
the elevator always went down

I even waited in the basement once
and that one went down too

I kept hitting the button
because that’s what I was told to do

the stairs were full of cobwebs
and urine
and that seemed a harder task
than pushing a button

but now I’m convinced
that button likely
did nothing
to notify anyone
of anything,
anywhere

There was hope sometimes
the first year I was there
in the hallway
with Muzak

The instrumental version
of Single Ladies wasn’t
as soothing as you thought
when it was heard
on repeat

but each door that slid open
revealed a packed room
with no space for me

The second year
was worse because
there was space
but
the door closed
before I could set foot inside

By the tenth year
no more elevators really came
except one filled
with supplies
for people on a higher floor

Rappelling gear was expensive
but every so often
someone descended
off the side of the building,
waving me down to the lobby;
warning
that destruction comes
to people on
higher floors
with no way down