Work did not love me back

To the exclusion of everything else in life, I had tried

To make work my primary focus, I did not try to hide

That in almost everything else, my performance

Was subpar, therefore my energy and focus intense

Were devoted to work almost exclusively

I had made work my sanctuary

*

I tried to invest much in work and the workplace

And did not realize that for others that space

Was not as cherished as it was for me

I expected too much from my work family

I loved work so much that objectivity I could not maintain

In the end that attachment to work gave me much pain

*

I tried to love work but work did not reciprocate

I tried to give it my best but I ruefully state

That the more I gave, the more it expected of me

I tried even harder, because I could not see

That work would never love me back

That a reciprocal relationship I would always lack

*

I started paying more attention to everything else around

There was joy and satisfaction to be found

Once the tenacious attachment to work I let loose

Fulfillment in other areas of life I could choose

The quality of my work actually improved

When my unhealthy focus on work was removed