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I did not choose this line of work
twas someone else, jerk.
I did not even practice one single day
and now find myself in great dismay.
I tried to leave my job but couldn't
for he placed me here in a way I wouldn't.
When those chosen in my path
after uprooting suffer the aftermath
of senseless flight, or caged night
or forced under watery perilous fright.
All of us were marked, pierced or placed
by his hand, against our wills, disgraced!
And now in my eleventh hour,
I find my fate must really go sour!
For many of my colleagues do not go home
yet pieces of them now around me roam!

What am I?

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5 Answers 5

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I think

An earthworm used as bait on a fishing hook.

I did not choose this line of work
twas someone else, jerk.

Earthworms burrow in the ground, it was used as bait against its will.

I did not even practice one single day
and now find myself in great dismay.

The whole bait thing is new to the earthworm , it does not know how to escape.

I tried to leave my job but couldn't
for he placed me here in a way I wouldn't.

It has been hooked on the fishing pole , with no possible way to escape.

When those chosen in my path
after uprooting suffer the aftermath
of senseless flight, or caged night
or forced under watery perilous fright.

Fishing never ends well for the bait , the above four lines point to that, also the word uproot points to the fact that the the subject came from the ground. The bait goes into "senseless flight" when the line is being cast. They may stored in a box which points to caged night. The watery fright part comes after the bait is in the water waiting to be eaten by fish.

All of us were marked, pierced or placed
by his hand, against our wills, disgraced!

These lines point to the actual process of hooking the bait

And now in my eleventh hour,
I find my fate must really go sour!
For many of my colleagues do not go home
yet pieces of them now around me roam!

The worm spots a fish swimming toward it, and judges that it is doomed like the ones before it.

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5
  • $\begingroup$ Since this is a riddle, you might want to explain why this answer fits the lines provided. $\endgroup$
    – IAmInPLS
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 9:23
  • $\begingroup$ @IAmInPLS was waiting for OP to provide feedback, plus I am super lazy :P $\endgroup$
    – Abhishek
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 9:53
  • $\begingroup$ ^vote with a note: "pieces" might refer to (whisper, third paragraph, is often done at the same time and not always days before) $\endgroup$
    – humn
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 10:09
  • $\begingroup$ Perhaps the "line" of work is a clue that fits with this answer as well... $\endgroup$
    – tmpearce
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 12:25
  • $\begingroup$ @Abhishek good job! The answer is given by one word you mentioned, not attached to any species. $\endgroup$
    – jmbmage
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 19:23
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New Answer - since the original (below) was close but inanimate

Am I

a crow

I did not choose this line of work twas someone else, jerk.

crows like to eat young crops, but at one time a crow tied to a post was used to ward off would be pests. A crow wouldn't choose to be tied to the post by the farmer (jerk)

I did not even practice one single day and now find myself in great dismay.

no practice for this job and definitely a dismal outcome

I tried to leave my job but couldn't for he placed me here in a way I wouldn't.

the crow would have no way of escaping the post

When those chosen in my path after uprooting suffer the aftermath of senseless flight, or caged night or forced under watery perilous fright.

these are the vegetables in rows that the crow is supposed to protect from its own kind, but when uprooted they are thrown (flight) into baskets, put into refrigerators (night) or washed/boiled (watery fright)

All of us were marked, pierced or placed by his hand, against our wills, disgraced!

hanging a crow could be done by its feet placing it upside down or pierced through a wing

And now in my eleventh hour, I find my fate must really go sour!

if the crow wasn't dead already it soon would be in this state eventually dying and rotting

For many of my colleagues do not go home yet pieces of them now around me roam!

the crows would not be released and feathers would surely blow all over the field

Original Answer

Am I

a scarecrow

I did not choose this line of work twas someone else, jerk.

the scarecrow wouldn't choose the job, the place, the clothes, etc.

I did not even practice one single day and now find myself in great dismay.

the scarecrow would come to being immediately

I tried to leave my job but couldn't for he placed me here in a way I wouldn't.

the farmer placed the scarecrow on a pole in an unnatural way

When those chosen in my path after uprooting suffer the aftermath of senseless flight, or caged night or forced under watery perilous fright.

these are the vegetables in rows that the scarecrow is supposed to protect, but when uprooted they are thrown (flight) into baskets, put into refridgerators (night) or washed/boiled (watery fright)

All of us were marked, pierced or placed by his hand, against our wills, disgraced!

again, designed by the farmer, without any consideration to the scarecrows they are marked, pierced on a stake and contorted into unnatural positions

And now in my eleventh hour, I find my fate must really go sour!

made of straw the scarecrow doesn't last forever and can spoil (sour)

For many of my colleagues do not go home yet pieces of them now around me roam!

usually multiple scarecrows are used in a patch and as they fall apart the straw and clothes would scatter in the fields

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3
  • $\begingroup$ This is very close but the answer you chose is not animate without personifications. Additionally there is hint that the answer was doing something else at one point. Yet you may win from popularity and the gift of your explanation. $\endgroup$
    – jmbmage
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 2:09
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I'll take another look in the AM. No reason to rush with the answer if it's not spot on $\endgroup$
    – Steve Mangiameli
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 4:26
  • $\begingroup$ Are you saying the object is animate on its own? $\endgroup$
    – Steve Mangiameli
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 11:55
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You are a

piñata

I did not choose this line of work twas someone else, jerk.

The piñata never wanted to be a piñata.

I did not even practice one single day and now find myself in great dismay.

The piñata was made to be quickly broken, and now it must face its destiny!

I tried to leave my job but couldn't for he placed me here in a way I wouldn't.

Piñatas can't run away, or climb trees.

When those chosen in my path after uprooting suffer the aftermath of senseless flight, or caged night or forced under watery perilous fright.

Candies go flying when a piñata is broken. Piñata parties can also happen during the night. There may even be water balloon piñatas during a hot day.

All of us were marked, pierced or placed by his hand, against our wills, disgraced!

All piñatas are placed and eventually destroyed by humans.

And now in my eleventh hour, I find my fate must really go sour!

You may find sour candies inside a piñata.

For many of my colleagues do not go home yet pieces of them now around me roam!

Events with piñatas usually have multiple piñatas placed and destoyed continuously, leaving their broken parts scattered around.

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Are you

A horse/bull?

I did not choose this line of work twas someone else, jerk.

Words jerk and line have a connection to horses.

I did not even practice one single day and now find myself in great dismay. I tried to leave my job but couldn't for he placed me here in a way I wouldn't.

Farmer has harnessed him to pull a plow, thus him trying to leave -> work

When those chosen in my path after uprooting suffer the aftermath of senseless flight, or caged night or forced under watery perilous fright.

This refers to the crop /vegetables he's forced to work on.

All of us were marked, pierced or placed by his hand, against our wills, disgraced!

Referring to other cattle/animals that have been marked by their owner

And now in my eleventh hour, I find my fate must really go sour!

He's getting old and he's probably seen what happens to the animals that do...

For many of my colleagues do not go home yet pieces of them now around me roam!

Long stretch but maybe his harness / rug are made of leather thus originating from his fellow animals (like sheep).

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I think:

Even though I'm disgusted by it, that you are talking about a woman who's forced into prostitution...
I'm not going to explain all of the lines for I'm too disgusted by the idea :S

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5
  • $\begingroup$ "For many of my colleagues do not go home yet pieces of them now around me roam!" - O_O $\endgroup$
    – kayzeroshort
    Commented Sep 15, 2016 at 20:04
  • $\begingroup$ Nah, this is going to be something much less dubious. Think about the things that are in a row and get uprooted... $\endgroup$
    – Steve Mangiameli
    Commented Sep 15, 2016 at 20:11
  • $\begingroup$ Even though I agree that this would probably not be the right anwer, I don't get why someone downvoted my answer... I mean, I just gave an answer that came to my mind... $\endgroup$
    – Foitn
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 12:23
  • $\begingroup$ I downvoted it because you didn't explain the answer. I thought I already made this comment, but must not have hit "Add Comment". Especially with riddles, but all puzzles in general, you need to break it apart and show why you came to the conclusion you did. Your answer didn't achieve the downvotes, but rather your lack of quality. $\endgroup$
    – Steve Mangiameli
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 15:13
  • $\begingroup$ @SteveMangiameli I get your point, thank you for explaining! $\endgroup$
    – Foitn
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 15:48

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