Secondhand Landscape

Julian Jason Haladyn

In the rains that allow their presence to be known

      cast aside like Elvis memorabilia

bridges are metaphors of weakness

holding up the weighty souvenirs of societies

defined among the possessions of collectors and junk dealers

finds amongst the bins of secondhand stores

Hidden under a stack of Elvis records and Hawaiian shirts

engineers are trolls of the industrial age

standing upon their steel molehills

      with their white suits and substantial sideburns

      with their newly bought shoes that are too tight

walling out to the homeless birds

      with plastic bags protecting them from the rain

      with plastic bags filled with old belongings

lost as they are in the landscape