Garbage Men
That trundling sound is every garbage can
on this street being emptied. It is not
yet dawn, the neighborhood’s asleep. The truck
with its great arm stops at each house and hauls
each can above its maw to empty it;
the men don’t leave the truck these days, that is
a term of service. There’s a lot of trash
this neighborhood kicks up. It’s not unknown
for lids to open, trash to overflow –
trash scatters in the street, on neighbors’ lawns.
All this at 5 a.m. or so. I still
remember that man riding on the back
of the old trucks who heaved cans into air
above the filthy compactor, again
at 5 a.m. A robot took that job,
and now the men sit up front. But the dawn
is still a vague hope as this work is done.
We still have trash to burn; we still awaken
in our warm beds to hear the sound of work.
Garbage Men
Hi John,
I think I posted The Garbage Man Can song (Simpsons) on the music thread over the summer for your amusement already.
In the UK, our bin men and women still roll wheelie bins onto a compactor. lifting latch. Our bin men come on a Friday afternoon when I'm cutting the grass and the smell is pretty bad. Perhaps this is a good example of robots at work in that it's a dirty smelling manual job for a human with health and safety risks.
But you've captured the moment well and in an engaging way. I'm always coming back for more of your stuff whereas ChatGPT's verse lost my interest very quickly. I bet it would refuse to critique to review my latest poem because of content violation. Robots can be judgemental and humourless beasts.
I think I posted The Garbage Man Can song (Simpsons) on the music thread over the summer for your amusement already.
In the UK, our bin men and women still roll wheelie bins onto a compactor. lifting latch. Our bin men come on a Friday afternoon when I'm cutting the grass and the smell is pretty bad. Perhaps this is a good example of robots at work in that it's a dirty smelling manual job for a human with health and safety risks.
But you've captured the moment well and in an engaging way. I'm always coming back for more of your stuff whereas ChatGPT's verse lost my interest very quickly. I bet it would refuse to critique to review my latest poem because of content violation. Robots can be judgemental and humourless beasts.
Hi Ryder, I’m glad you enjoyed the poem! Yup, in the US, it tends to be robot arms lifting the bins these days.
Hi Morph, you did indeed post that splendid ditty. A Simpsons highlight for me, in keeping with the Disney Renaissance of about 1990. Interesting what you say about humans still doing the job in the UK – it is foul-smelling and dangerous, but I think it’s paid OK and does not involve complex training or education, which is something one can regret, I think, in its automation. I kind of left my verdict up in the air, but I am reminded of how communist states tended to have almost no unemployment, which capitalist states tend not to manage. Oh and yes, in the US, it’s around or before dawn that they come by. Not so nice. Glad you feel I’ve captured the mood – that was my aim! Robots do have their drawbacks, and one of those seems to be in the poetry department. What will become of us, one wonders?
Cheers,
John
Hi Morph, you did indeed post that splendid ditty. A Simpsons highlight for me, in keeping with the Disney Renaissance of about 1990. Interesting what you say about humans still doing the job in the UK – it is foul-smelling and dangerous, but I think it’s paid OK and does not involve complex training or education, which is something one can regret, I think, in its automation. I kind of left my verdict up in the air, but I am reminded of how communist states tended to have almost no unemployment, which capitalist states tend not to manage. Oh and yes, in the US, it’s around or before dawn that they come by. Not so nice. Glad you feel I’ve captured the mood – that was my aim! Robots do have their drawbacks, and one of those seems to be in the poetry department. What will become of us, one wonders?
Cheers,
John
This is interesting, John. The rubbish lorry turns up somewhat after dawn here at the moment, but that'll change with the shortening days. The men (we've never spotted a female collector) do a fair bit of manual work. The rubbish has its own garage, so they come and go, always leaving everything tidy, thankfully. The committee would not be happy otherwise!
The contrast between working methods is drawn out well in your poem. I suppose robots might take similar jobs here, in time. Certainly there have been changes over the years, such as the introduction of the wheelie bin. We do take an interest in such matters here (^v^)
Cheerie,
F & (^v^)
The contrast between working methods is drawn out well in your poem. I suppose robots might take similar jobs here, in time. Certainly there have been changes over the years, such as the introduction of the wheelie bin. We do take an interest in such matters here (^v^)
Cheerie,
F & (^v^)
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CalebPerry
- Perspicacious Poster
- Posts: 3072
- Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 11:26 am
No recycling? You must live in one of those Red states which doesn't believe in anything that might help the environment, like recycling. Texas, right?
I think I've seen those kinds of trucks. The driver has to position the truck right next to the bin so that the arm can grab the bin in just the right way. Here in R.I., the men are still out back of the truck wheeling the bins into position. Some trucks are all trash, some are all recycling, and some are half-and-half. (The truth about the recycling is that much of it ends up in landfills.)
It's a good poem, and I very much like the ending. Excellent ending.
I think I've seen those kinds of trucks. The driver has to position the truck right next to the bin so that the arm can grab the bin in just the right way. Here in R.I., the men are still out back of the truck wheeling the bins into position. Some trucks are all trash, some are all recycling, and some are half-and-half. (The truth about the recycling is that much of it ends up in landfills.)
It's a good poem, and I very much like the ending. Excellent ending.
Signature info:
If you don't like the black theme, it is easy to switch to a lighter color. Just ask me how.
If I don't critique your poem, it is probably because I don't understand it.
If you don't like the black theme, it is easy to switch to a lighter color. Just ask me how.
If I don't critique your poem, it is probably because I don't understand it.
Greetings, Fliss and Coo and Caleb,
I see I've started a whole discussion! President Obama recently made a Netflix series called Work, and that is my mood in this poem. Work bears thinking about, not least the sort of work I've never done - it does me good to reflect on its conditions. I contonue to think garbage men (or people) are paid a lviing wage, but it's not a job I've ever thought of taking up. Smelly and somewhat dangerous. Caleb, you are quite right, I am likely speaking from Texas experience, though before that, I was in Indiana. AT my brother's place in Boston, it's not robotic and you put out three bins to be emptied.
Oh - also this: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/ ... at-work-is
Cheers all,
John
I see I've started a whole discussion! President Obama recently made a Netflix series called Work, and that is my mood in this poem. Work bears thinking about, not least the sort of work I've never done - it does me good to reflect on its conditions. I contonue to think garbage men (or people) are paid a lviing wage, but it's not a job I've ever thought of taking up. Smelly and somewhat dangerous. Caleb, you are quite right, I am likely speaking from Texas experience, though before that, I was in Indiana. AT my brother's place in Boston, it's not robotic and you put out three bins to be emptied.
Oh - also this: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/ ... at-work-is
Cheers all,
John
Good one John. The contrast between human and robot, efficiency or not, and those nonsensical rules all engaged me with the narrative. Like the image prompted by maw and the ever increasing garbage. Some John characteristics...time of day, activity/inactivity. The men not leaving the truck, as if they have acquired the limits of a desk job, their physical activity now a loss for them!
Enjoyed
Phil
Enjoyed
Phil
Hi Phil,
Garbage is a funny thing, isn't it? Since it begins as something we go out and purchase. Wrapping is prospective trash. It is odd to see the entire process become robotic, and I wonder whether the men are asked to stay in the truck partly to sanitize the whole operation for American sensibilities. Nobody interacts with anybody, we can just view it on our social media.
And yes, ever-increasing garbage! That is the way of the world. I think Garbage would make a great title for a collection, though someone would have to write it first.
I'm all about action/inaction! I am otiose.
Cheers,
John
Garbage is a funny thing, isn't it? Since it begins as something we go out and purchase. Wrapping is prospective trash. It is odd to see the entire process become robotic, and I wonder whether the men are asked to stay in the truck partly to sanitize the whole operation for American sensibilities. Nobody interacts with anybody, we can just view it on our social media.
And yes, ever-increasing garbage! That is the way of the world. I think Garbage would make a great title for a collection, though someone would have to write it first.
I'm all about action/inaction! I am otiose.
Cheers,
John
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ray miller
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- Posts: 7414
- Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:23 am
Enjoyed the read. So I wondered about the garbage that sometimes gets spilled on the lawns - do the guys in the truck get out and pick it up? I thought that was something you might have picked up on.
I'm out of faith and in my cups
I contemplate such bitter stuff.
I contemplate such bitter stuff.
Hi Ray, hi Phil,
Ray, I think - as i recall - that if it's on the lawn, they leave it to the homeowner to sort out. They really don't leave the truck.
And Phil, you're likley right - there's a level of interaction you see with garbage workers who exit the vehicle, ride on back, etc., which must change radically when you just sit in the cabin and operate your drone, er, robotic arm.
Cheers,
John
Ray, I think - as i recall - that if it's on the lawn, they leave it to the homeowner to sort out. They really don't leave the truck.
And Phil, you're likley right - there's a level of interaction you see with garbage workers who exit the vehicle, ride on back, etc., which must change radically when you just sit in the cabin and operate your drone, er, robotic arm.
Cheers,
John