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Nathan Colquhoun
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When you have seen all sides

Image accompanying Nathan Colquhoun’s line-broken Instagram poem “When you have seen all sides” (September 8, 2025).

When you have seen all sides
of a transaction
the emotion of the seller
the emotion of the buyer
the emotion of the debtor
the emotion of a debtee
it’s hard not to feel bad for
the whole thing

but then on top of that

the paperwork 
oh the paperwork
the goddamn paperwork

that the lawyers are experts at 
and the real estate agents are good at plastering
their face over how good they are at 
making themselves as part of your transaction
nothing better than getting your name on more paperwork they will have you believe

and if I’m honest, i’d have to admit that my oh my does the paper really do incredible work

the more paperwork
the less emotion they tell you
drown your emotions in terms and conditions
and wrap it up in the universal shared addiction

why godamnit is there even careers at all in being good at working paper!? Ok sorry. Rant over.

after tax and the commissions and the product
what is left carries the most weight 

or is it just a changing number that makes your heart rise?
your 9-5 finds you
and the kids futures depend on it
and the markets are volatile

No biggie
We all die says the guru 

that guru is dead now though and my god I wish they left an inheritance of showing us all a way out of this PAPERWORK

Originally posted on Instagram

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