Monday, July 14, 2008

Trash haiku

The following can be found above the myriad trash containers outside our building:

Notice
You know.
Rules the throw away garbage my conscience.

Apparently, the poor frustrated super in our building is on a never-ending crusade to be sure that residents recycle and dispose of each scrap of trash properly. The mixed up state of things that I saw today makes this rather poetic, nonsensical sign quite poignant.

I'm sure it will seem less so when I get yelled at for a trash blunder, as others reportedly have.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Each piece of trash has
A home of its own in this
Den of cans and bins.


I'm enjoying your blog. Hope you don't mind my feeble attempt at a "trashy" haiku.

KIM! said...

you shoud totaly send in your mom's haiku or just post it on your own. you may need to check out the Engrish sight. You may have lots of contributions by the time you leave Korea.

And you better beleive Korea is now on mylist of possible future trips - I love surfing people's couches!

Glad to hear everything is going well. Best of luck!

Jamie said...

Remember that sign in the Korean section of Alexandria that said HEART LUNG STOMACHACHE DOCTOR?

it is poetry
to think of the stomach as
half a piece of pain

Jamie said...

Oh oh, and it one of the signs also said: HEAD LUNG SWEAT!
And remember the Korean/Mexican convenience store with the sign that says:
GOD ALMIGHTY FOODSTAMP.
I mostly just like how everything is in all caps. So emphatic and urgent!

spp said...

Ellen: Today in the language development class we are continuing our discussion of syntax & semantics. I am actually going to share your blog with the class today as the trash haiku, when read out loud with the right pauses really makes a lot of sense and is quite impressive and thoughtful. Just remember that when you are dealing with the building supervisor as you may surprised at his depth of thought and level of sensitivity. See ya' and keep up the postings! I'll try to update you too on things going on here in the Reports From Orchard Hill. SPP