Poem 1: Kay Throws Things Away
Kay Throws Things Away
There once was a kid named Kay,
Who lived in a world much like ours today.
Kay was bold, unique, and quite a gem,
The pronouns Kay used were they and them.
Much like our own world, Kay balanced work and fun,
Buying the latest and greatest was important to everyone,
Trash was not a big thought, people went about their day,
And no one thought twice when they would throw things away.
However, Kay’s world differs just a little bit from ours,
You see, their trash had strange magnetic super powers.
Bags, toothbrushes, cans, and other plastics
All snapped right back, just like elastics.
When you would try to throw your used bottles away
BAM! It would sling back to your body, and there it would stay.
The trash was so heavy, so stinky, slimy and gross,
No one wanted to play or even come close.
Kay and their friends did not like this one bit,
So they came up with a plan to change and outwit.
“We will bury this trash, as deep as we can drill”,
They buried that trash, and called it a landfill.
Over many years that trash did sit,
Out of sight, out of mind, and no thoughts of it.
People came together their moods did lift,
but Little by little, that trash did shift.
If used from nature, the trash would biodegrade,
However, chemicals and plastics may not, I’m afraid.
And so, the trash moved up more hazardous than before,
It mixed into dangerous things, Making it more of a chore .
And finally one morning, enjoying a beautiful spring day,
Kay saw something gruesome sling towards their way.
They looked around at the chaos to discover,
“Flying Toilet!” Yelled a lady who was running for cover.
Everyone, EVERYONE was running in fear,
They were not prepared to see so much of their trash reappear.
But then our friend Kay, so brave and so bold,
Turned towards the landfill, a wonder for all to behold.
Kay problem-solved as quickly as one could think
They dashed out in front and dodged a kitchen sink.
Kay started to run towards the trash - fast,
Grabbing a metal bat as they passed.
One by one they hit each thing in flight,
Into groups like bottles and boxes - it was quite a sight.
Each friend received different categories,
Depending on their personal interests and specialties.
Hours and hours went by,
The community came together, ready to comply.
Kay led their community into something new,
Friends, family, neighbors, the list grew and grew.
Each person focused on one category at a time,
Cleaning those items covered in grime.
And then Kay had the biggest idea of their life,
Feeling they have seen enough heartache and strife.
They met together on how those items could be reused,
They asked themselves how their life could be improved.
And so each person began to engineer,
Into new things and they watched their trash pile disappear.
Plastic became greenhouses and glass bottles melted down,
Food, paper, and cardboard were composted for the town.
Jobs and hobbies were reusing trash to make into new,
Community gardens and kindness grew.
New plastics, glass, and metals no longer needed to be made,
Nor would they end up in a landfill decade after decade.
No longer would chemicals need to be drained,
They created more natural materials that were easier to maintain.
Jobs were created and stores changed too,
Everyone was less about throwing out and focused on renew.
Days became years and everything seemed alright,
Their world became cleaner, happier, and bright.
