04-17-2025, 07:01 AM
Paean to Land Filled
Praise Hygeia, offspring of Apollo!
Patron of cleanliness
against all illness, praise!
Acres of stench, crushed goods,
food spoiled to reeking,
sunrise kisses rotted oranges,
avocados black inside and out,
cans rust-rimmed fermenting
liquors of strained peas,
and coverletting all, burst plastic bags
black, white, with gaily colored ties
their open wounds entrailing food
for seagull and swart crow,
brash birds of omen here placated
with offal of cities.
Sing!
Praise muscular men and their
strong hydraulic-thewed,
bright-painted bull-machines
hot green, sunflower yellow, treading down,
re-crushing trash, then covering
with perfume, disinfectant and then dirt
sealing until Time can churn
digested landfill into Land.
Sing!
Praise landfills and
stout men who manage them
for that small eternity
until they heal themselves
while sparing us
unpleasantness.
[Form: Paean]
Praise Hygeia, offspring of Apollo!
Patron of cleanliness
against all illness, praise!
Acres of stench, crushed goods,
food spoiled to reeking,
sunrise kisses rotted oranges,
avocados black inside and out,
cans rust-rimmed fermenting
liquors of strained peas,
and coverletting all, burst plastic bags
black, white, with gaily colored ties
their open wounds entrailing food
for seagull and swart crow,
brash birds of omen here placated
with offal of cities.
Sing!
Praise muscular men and their
strong hydraulic-thewed,
bright-painted bull-machines
hot green, sunflower yellow, treading down,
re-crushing trash, then covering
with perfume, disinfectant and then dirt
sealing until Time can churn
digested landfill into Land.
Sing!
Praise landfills and
stout men who manage them
for that small eternity
until they heal themselves
while sparing us
unpleasantness.
[Form: Paean]
Non-practicing atheist