Lady Binman

Lady Binman,

Beautiful and calm.

Holding on to the back of a bin lorry,

On a sunny morning.


Binmen should not look like you.

They should look like Onslow from "Keeping Up Appearances",

Obese, unshaven oafs.

Not a young black woman with short hair.


How did you get the job?

You must be as good at picking up bins as Onlow.

Wouldn't be fucking hard.

Traditional binmen are unfit.


Until I saw you, I'd never seen a lady binman,

Nor imagined one.

Except maybe a binman's wife,

Riding in the lorry for a laugh.


Everywhere you go, there you are.

Mildly surprising and pleasing.

Like learning about a music festival in Afghanistan.

I hope you enjoy what you do.