Diary of a Product


They gave me a name
And I felt myself become the name. 
Proud of my logo, I
Was eager to leave the production line,
Impatiently waiting my turn in acquisition.
The line workers said not to hurry,
That I had time, but I was too
Animated.  At the storehouse, they shined
My component goods everyday making sure
My sticker stayed sticky and my
Working parts in order. When my outer surface
Was accidentally scuffed from a mishandler,
They restored me with an uninvasive apparatus.
I did well in the subsequent exhibitions,
Comparable with the other merchandise.
Still, I felt awkward in my product display
And slightly embarrassed of its flashy design. 
My shelf-life passed on
And I detected in their worried glances
That I was not functioning up to expectations.
I tried harder to operate according to the manual
Issued with me but felt that some of the commands
Were unwarranted.  Eventually the supply
To demand ratio dwindled and still I had not consummated
A transaction. I had become, they explained, a market risk. 
In short, I would not be good for their gross margin
As my duration of product satisfaction was now negligible. 
Servicing and an upgrade if possible was needed. 
I was recalled to the production plant.
After prodding me with instruments, they detected I had an internal
Flaw, the result of a human error.  After
Deliberating they decided that repair was not worth
Their time as newer models were already being fabricated. 
I showed the manufacturer my logo and explained
It was my name.
He said not to worry about
It, that it peeled easily off.



* Rula Jones says “Presently, I am adjunct faculty at The Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington DC where I teach art.  I hold a BA in art from Marymount Manhattan College in NYC.  I am working on a collection of short stories with accompanying drawings.”

Diary of a Product consists of a flash fiction piece in verse and an
accompanying drawing, ink and watercolor on paper, 18″ x 24″.