the dirt on these streets, the dirt on my feet

if i had a camera here in madison, i would take photos of the following and send them to you:

- the five foot piles of yellow dirt, several of them in a row, on university ave. the streets that i remembered being bike friendly are now obstructed by giant machines that are real good at moving those piles back and forth. they [the piles, the machines] make the air dusty in the morning when i walk to school, force reroutes, and blow particles in my eyes.

- the buildings-tall mounds of coal or some sort of black mineral at the university power plant i pass on my way to trader joe's. a dirty, shadowy half-hovel towers over the coal, and inside i think is whatever contraption the coal is meant for. it's on a forgotten block (madison seems to have lots of these), and so eerily quiet except for the harsh rumble coming from inside.

- the blister on my foot, the sweat in the crease of my elbows. there are no more free bikes to rent, so i walk everywhere. i don't mind except that last week it was in the high 80s and low 90s.

- allan asleep at his computer in the college library. he stations himself here to avoid our overly warm house and to steal the occasional nap. i'm afraid one day he'll wake up to find his stuff stolen.

- the cheerio that was in the shower drain in the downstairs bathroom. the house we're at was left in a slovenly state. i didn't see this cheerio, but i wish i had.

maybe i'll swipe lumbs' fancy pants camera one day and snap these for you.