The Waste Collector

[Autumnleaves]

The Waste Collector
by Elisa "Autumnleaves" Fadri
(with apologies to Ray Bradbury)


I was in the junkyard the other day
looking for an Ancient Looking Lamp Relay
I spotted a kindred soul, a collector like me
poking through scarred land and debris
programmed to gather endlessly

As I passed by, I was called to touch
to clutch and own a piece of the unknown
I let no moment pass unsaved
I want that storage unit archive
that fragile rollerat hat that survived
unscathed from a crazed claw mutant raid
I want that battered NCU, that spirit focus tattoo
photos of the day I earned my Twig of Hope
an extreme low light targeting scope
two striped pillows, soaked with tears
Rusty Freedom Arms from Tir's backyard slums
a dusty bottle of sugarfree rum
sand from the beach in Sabulum
the setting suns from my apartment in Jobe
worn notum threads from my Exarch Robe
glass-blown glow art from The Longest Road
a worn Div-9 from some old mission there
finely refined notum from the red side of Rome
an eye of the evening star to wish under
when the mission's done

This and that and these
and I've just begun
How can I find a place for every one?
No space in my bank, that may well be
but there's always space
in memories