Penny's Treasures

penny's out collecting again

nobody's garbage is safe

she just went through gerry's recycling
got a long piece of silver foil wrapping paper
that shines almost on its own power

she carries it under one arm
uses her other hand to control her cane

nobody's safe    nobody

    she's hit the insides of every can and bin on the block
    used to dive dumpsters
    but her bones won't let her do that anymore
    she'd even grab magma from the center of the earth
    if she could    to hang on her front fence
    give the place brilliance    give it beauty    purpose

from Purgatorial (2004)