An ode to our dumpsters

O, ye dumpsters of the world—

how many memories were thrust beyond your gates, and lost to the earth?

How many sentiments and stories were cast through you

and into the fallen destiny of a landfill?

I have seen a glory of treasures lodged in your rusting heart:

clothes, legos, plants, tools, even books!

And I have answered their calls—

I hear these things pleading for rescue and for use,

compelling me to do my part

Or is it the earth herself I hear, pleading some brief mercy,

begging some relief from the onslaught of our wastefulness?

I have smelled your perfume:

dog shit and tar,

roses and other cloying whispers

I have felt hot slush and cold grit under my boots when I have climbed to be inside you,

And I have rummaged through your deeper secrets,

in service of the Gloved Harvest

I have freed music and art and medicine and furniture and lumber and copper and brass

from your darkest chamber—

from the dungeon of rot and waste!

I have tasted your charity: pickles and hot sauce, cheese and salsa, catering trays of wedding-fare poorly spent, and snack packs

thrown away by the crate-full—

And have I not heard the flies buzzing?

And have I not heard the snickers and the judgments

of those who would never dare?

Ah,

But they are all— buzzes and snickers all— shouted down by the ringing bells

of dinner

and victory!

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Authors note: this is a redraft of a poem I wrote on vocal many months ago. I adapted and expanded it to better fit the prompt for the “harvest of memory” fall poetry writing challenge! Hope you got a kick out of it.

I’m also writing on this subject to help normalize dumpster diving— this is my way of opposing the rampant materialism and wastefulness in my community.

To that end I’d love to hear your stories on dumpster diving, or even your thoughts on it.

My dream, is to one day operate a free-cycling center where anyone in need can shop a curated warehouse of (cleaned and refurbished) dumpster rescues, and take what they want or need for free. I think I’d also like to provide community workshops on simple repairs of household items to help people extend the life of their belongings rather than replacing them when they wear.

That’s a long way off, for now I just do what I can by using stuff myself or by cleaning and repairing what I can for private donations.

Or sale, if fit.

Anyway, here's my guide to dumpster diving:

Here's a story from the perspective of one of the most valuable things I've ever found dumpster diving:

Here's another story, on the most disappointing things I've seen thrown away:

And here's a playlist of dumpster diving jams:

And here's my first draft of this poem, with lot's of pics of cool things rescued from dumpsters.