Garbage Day
Garbage Day
Bags piled high along the narrow walks
Sandbags in the wars of refuse
Black plastic creatures devoid of life
Their only mission to hide
What’s inside and what’s behind
Nondescript, their commonality mysterious
Mostly just run of the mill trash
Cereal boxes, coffee grounds, paper mache
The trappings of a birthday party passed
Scraps of food, envelopes, the empty tin
Musty smells trapped by ancient attics
Tossed away so nonchalantly
Riding shotgun on relics without pedigree
Selective avoidance on the evening stroll
Nothing to see, move along
Most agree and fail to see
The shapes inside crying for freedom
It is wood most certain, maybe wrapped in a curtain
Waste is rarely square
Dented, lumpy, often round, but pliable
I see a handle, long and worn
It’s length wears a turtleneck of gathered plastic
A necktie of twine, or some cord
Beyond the bunker is another and another
Emplacements build upon nothingness
Tomorrow I’ll wake to find them gone
What skirmishes were worthy?
Did one street score a victory or loss?
Who rallied the troops?
On garbage day…
A pile of garbage bags resembles a pile of sandbags – when imagery presents itself, the writer has no choice but to spin it into a tale.
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Great work Ralph, yes we all tend to disregard the refuse when it is removed in timely fashion, as if it never was. It is our waste that defines us as consumers and our disregard for our planet and the realities of humanity. Saw a great movie called ‘High-rise’, a metaphor for class and struggle, where an expensive high-rise is left to rack and ruin, becoming a ghetto with garbage everywhere, having become cut off from the world, yet displaying what the world is. This reminded me of it. Excellent.
We sure could do a lot more recycling – amazing things have been made from stuff people throw away. Very strong message behind your work here, Ralph. Well done, indeed.
A well spun tale indeed Ralph of the simple but useful characteristics of black plastic bags piled high awaiting there fate of the garbage truck man. Recycling is the key for reusable items that should not be included in the trash. Will we ever truly learn good habits☺
Excellent piece. I visited Mexico City’s dump once to bring clean water to some the estimated 100 thousand people. The few huts I went to had wood floors and windows. My what we toss without thought.