Walked along the roadside today

With a cart and a stick

And picked up trash,

The leavings of drunken fishermen

And grotesque adolescents.

I conclude that

Beer and a drink called Twisted Tea

Are popular with these folks

And that they are content to

Drive down a back road,

Plowed fields on either side and

Toss an empty bottle out the window of their truck

Along with a cigarette butt.

I didn’t get to the butts this time, but

If they are still there in the fall

I’ll find them.