Archeology connects the dots to tell a story of past cultures and unearthed histories. Does litter have a history? Does it uncover a mystery behind a culture? For the past year, residents in and out of DC's Shepherd Parkway have gathered off Malcom X Boulevard to rid National Park land from years of neglect due to dumping. Last Saturday, under blue skies and brisk temperatures I joined the clean-up party for the second time along with more than a hundred of my brothers and sisters, young and old.
We sifted our fingers through dirt to free the forest from drowning in layers of litter, exhuming decades of dumping. As my feet gripped the steep ravine, my hands pulled, brushed, scooped, sifted and grabbed uncommon and common litter such as, straws, chips bags, soda cans and bottles, styrofoam food containers and lots of plastic bags. Some bags were still in tack holding contents but most were shreds of plastic ensnared in tree root hairs strangling them from the rich nutrients of the loamy soil. As I collected uncommon litter, such as silverware, I wondered about the stories of the people who owned these items.
Plastic toy phone rings
"Hello" pigtails scream happily
Phone eyes jiggle joy
Spoons clinking brewed beans
Communion hats on Sunday
Etched mugs gleaming praise
High heel calluses
Severed bra yields violence
Dull, rusty steel blade
Street-side Ford jacked up
Four discus throws down ravine
Towering old tires
