bin there seen that

 bin there seen that

the ash man 

the dust man

now no more dust

no more ash

consumerism is bagged

some recycled some not

remember the corrugated bin

with its clattering lid

the leather shoulders of the dust man

and his waistcoat

it’s gone out with the ashes

disposed of irretrievably

heavy bin that one

fox-torn bags

streets littered with uncaring

refuse operatives running high vis for leather

where has the back-breaking slog gone

that one could feel for

incinerated 

composted

recycled

must ‘buy more black bags’ on the shopping list

put the collection day in my diary

put the contact number for the council in my contacts 

for when they miss another collection

after the other missed collection

for there’s a queue at the council tip

where people avoid each other’s eyes

as their consumerism shames their day

better put a lid on it now

or the past will be blown away

and decycled