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Writer's pictureEm Ehlers

An eco poem about... verge-side vultures (aka picking up homewares from the side of the road)



You’ve seen me round your streets before

Circling overhead

I’m a vulture that likes to scavenge things

So bring me all your dead.


Wings outstretched I swoop on by

All scruffy and beady eyed.

But I’m not actually a bird

Just a vulture of the verge-side


Nothing makes me happier

Than that special time of year

When the councils asks the residents

To chuck unwanted gear.


I rub my claws together

My creativity starts to bubble

All I see are craft ideas

Hidden in the rubble!


My husband sees me swooping in

He frowns and doth protest

“Please don’t fill the bloody shed

With another damn project!”


With a stalking kind of walking

I glide through all the streets

I keep my eyes looking down

Try spy some tasty treats!


Ahah! My squawk rings out

As I spot some vulnerable prey,

A darling patchwork corduroy couch

In a lovely shade of grey.


I pounce upon a shaggy rug

And some kids chairs good as new

I’ll leave that old stained mattress though,

I have my limits - eww!


My next attacks is greedy,

An unneeded bite to eat,

A gorgeous set of art prints

Just tossed upon the street.


Still, I’m not quite satisfied

So I keep going on my stroll

A coat stand here, a toy horse there,

My god - I’m on a roll.


I think of people at the stores

(As I grab two free bar stools)

Spending all their moneys - HAH!

I cackle at the fools!


We live in a time of excess now,

Our resources running dry.

So when perfect stuff is thrown away

I can’t help but wonder why?


By reusing and reimagining

We join the upcycle revolution

‘Cause you’re either part of the problem

Or a part of the solution.


Choose street over megastore

(and risk looking like a freak)

And you’ll create a style less generic

More quirky and unique.


So while vultures aren’t quite so loved

As the eagle or the wren,

Before you think that we aren’t proud

You better think again!


Where others just see trash,

We salivate with pleasure.

Because the broken and the shabby

To us is pure-gold treasure.


We don’t need more stuff in our landfills

So get amongst our culture

Let’s put this waste to better use -

Become a verge-side vulture!!!

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