milk bottle

milkbottle screen shot

this is a story about a milk bottle,

this milk bottle

this particular, individual milk bottle that I once held in my hand.

I bought a bottle of milk , because I wanted some milk

I bought this milk bottle

Because I wanted the milk that was inside it

Now the milk bottle is empty and I will throw it away into the recycling bin.

This is normal, I do this twice a week

but I am uncomfortable.

I feel a strange sense of compassion for the plastic milk bottle

as am heading towards the recycling bin.

it is a strong useful container and I am throwing it away

just because I don’t need it.

It fits my hand and calls out to me that it could hold something for me,

it could contain something I needed, some water, some milk.

But I don’t need this milk bottle as I have another one

full of milk in the fridge

I am doubtful of its recycled future.

Maybe it will get made into a worm farm.

But I think maybe it won’t

It will outlast me by a thousand years, somewhere, away

I feel sorry that we, as a people, made it,

I feel sorry that we will use it only once, this bottle

I have betrayed the materials we called upon to make it,

and now I betray the entity that it has become.

I am regretful and ashamed as I close the recycling bin.

Milk bottle installation

lie back in the recliner and watch the milk bottle rotate. the speakers by your ears whisper “this is the story of a milk bottle, this particular…….”