Michael Comiskey retired in 2019 after teaching political science and economics at the Penn State Fayette Campus. He lives in his native Connellsville, PA with his wife Mary Ann. Michael wrote his first poem at age 50. In 2024, he released his debut volume of poetry titled South of Pittsburgh: Poems from Northern Appalachia.
The Factory
The FactoryI start my shift as jars and bottles marchin perfect ranks and files from the oven,glass soldiers of an army on parade.An electric selector inspects theirwarm bodies for weakness; those that don’t passmuster must be mustered out—returned tothe furnace to be melted and recast.Maybe on their next try they can run theobstacle course. Those …