Life Between Trash Pickups

Tuesday, trash day
Roll the big green dumpster to the curb
Filled, with life’s residual matter
Leftover stuff: corn husks, used tissues, cereal boxes
other unmentionables, revealing how we live

Life happening between trash pickups
Not a glamorous depiction, but realistic
for all consuming and disposing
Curiosity overtakes me…
I lift the green monster’s lid, exposing myself
to dreadful smells, making me wonder
what kind of life I lead

Ancient Near Eastern civilizations had their tells:
Mounds of trash and rubble, built upon
by their future societies
We have stinking landfills; some now larger
than the cities they serve

It frustrates me, we throw away so much
but at this moment, it haunts me even more
life is what happens between trash pickups

Author: Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D.

Biography Writer, photographer, poet, and teacher. Holds doctorates in Divinity and Metaphysical Philosophy. Author of 20 books, including seven poetry books, nine photography, and four nonfiction books. Contact Information Contact Don Iannone by email: diannone@gmail.com

15 thoughts on “Life Between Trash Pickups”

  4. Andrew: Thanks. Well, hopefully it won’t scared your son too much. I do the trash in our house. I just knew I’d get a great job in life and that’s it! 🙂

  7. mortality and garbage
    as aurora said this is dark and compelling
    perhaps not what i need at 0400
    until
    i see that there is a full moon
    another cycle
    thank you

  8. “I am haunted deeper by the thought
    life is what happens between trash pickups”

    I liked this so much! A briliant metaphor!

    maya

  10. Nasra: Thanks. In part, this poem is intended to be humorous and in part serious. It is a metaphysical poem in that it uses trash pickup as a metaphor for cleaning up our lives.

  13. Thanks Dan. Have a nice trip and getaway.

    Thanks Aurora. It is a bit dark, but not too. Just occured to me that is a yardstick for life: trash and its pickup.

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