Fashion

He does his shopping
at the Humane Society Thrift store
across four lanes of traffic
just to the south
Believes--to the point
of strutting the strut--in
reduce, reuse, recycle

Re-wears gently used fibers
Blesses them with trips
and they are surprised to see
the enamel coated metal dots
of laundromat washers
and dryers again

Secretly--just between you & me
--he shops there and
relishes the opportunity to provide
daily panoramas of several generations
dabbles in decades of fashion
dribble and splash clothes
acrylic paint across
the canvas of today & tomorrow & yesterday

He has a particular passion for bridging
generation fissures
spawns understanding between
wardrobes of grandfathers and great-grandchildren
Affords 3-D displays of family harmony

He revels in the juxtaposition
of polyester disco flares and cotton-rayon blend
Wrangler snap-down shirts
emblazoned with tubular piping
tied up with flower embroidery

He does his shopping
at the Salvation Army Thrift store
a couple of blocks down
and a pair of blocks over

Breathes to bestow new life
to blanched fad remnants
Decodes fresh definitions and purpose
for 1980's day-glo
Deciphers modern inspiration
for fish net sleeves
no longer abandoned
in cardboard boxes

He re-tools fashion
from ancient cache
unearthed from rack
and stack recesses

He conceives freedom
from capitalist tyranny and oppression
at the ARC Thrift store
across from the old library
Freedom imbued in ensembles unfettered
by iron corsets of the fashion industry

Takes ideas born from artistic
neurons, but packaged and shellacked
by money magnet gloss
Dissolved all the lemming residue
Kick starts the artist's heart
embedded in the cut, design
thread iotas stitching puzzle
pieces together

He supports the local economy
by buying and wearing out
an arsenal of pants
purchased at various flea markets
polka-dotting the globe

Sharp trench coat, reminiscent of Blade
paid for in Tuba City
Phat boots ransomed for two dollars
from a pick-up parked in Sheepsprings
Hats, gloves, scarves, and wool vests
gleaned from previously harvested fields

He does his shopping at places
OTHER than the mall

What the Trash Can Says...

My molecules were chosen for this occupation
I'm not sure why
What kismet steered the cosmos
stars to swirl and converge
on a configuration that would allow
my metal atoms to be forged into
a trash can
rather than a sword, scalpel,
or even scissors.

But I am resigned to this fate
and I allow custodial personnel
to line my innards with plastic
clear or black
scented and sometimes not
thin polymer finer than silk.

Banana peels, crumpled paper, dirt
unrecycled cans, and even vomit
I contain these substances

Prevent mayhem from spiraling
into corners, clotting in crevices,
smearing open spaces
creating unsanitary conditions
and food for rats.

Things I Learned Last Week

Yesterday slipped into the--last week box
for me once my eyes shut
and consciousness was covered by
the thick down comforter of sleep

Yesterday I learned that the road
from Burnham to Huerfano forks
into paved N5 and an anonymous,
but signed--graded generous dirt road

Tuesday I learned that water drips
from ceilings in all towns
no matter what the LAT/LONG
I expect to discover that
George Bush puts buckets under drips
and has to dump 5 gallons of rain
filtered through ceiling and insulation
onto expensive manicured lawns

Monday I learned that Big Foot
left muddy prints in my yard
Yeti broke boobie-traps I set
for him/her
Sasquatch is not disturbed by fishing
line and aluminum cans

Sunday was a standard learning day
filled with heart muscles, blood
vessels, and circulation facts
Arteries carry away from heart
Veins bring to heart
I expect exes travel arteries
and everyone else traverses veins

Saturday I learned that dryers
can be abandoned almost instantaneously
at laundromats, and not all hope
is lost if the parking lot is full
with vehicles of slackers
washing filthy clothes together.

Thanks to Kimberlie W. for the inspiration for this.