Pause for poetry:
Michael Hawkes /16
In Our Lane
A poem by Michael Hawkes
I saw a sack of teddy bears
Tossed into a garbage truck
Out back in the lane.
One day I saw four fine fur coats,
[sheer outta’ luck]Forsaken in the rain;
Hung on a fence like penitents
Overcome with shame.
And then six pairs of high heeled boots
Scattered there like fallen fruits
Out back in the lane.
With papers, boxes, compost bins,
That line the lane like venial sins,
Piles of our rejected things
Just chucked out in the lane.
The trash collector’s monster truck
Rescues us from all our muck
Redeems us from our wasteful ways;
So thank the mayor for “garbage days’’
That take away the pain.
14/10/20 – Hawkes
Feature image: Andrew Burlone
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Michael Hawkes was a cherished poet and contributor whose work enriched the pages of WestmountMag.ca with its sensitivity and depth. Over the years, he entrusted us with a rich body of poems, of which only a portion has yet been published. His passing leaves a profound void, but the poems still to come will continue inspire all who were moved by his voice.



January 23, 2026" />
Trump backs down" />
celebrates its 34th season" />
Commercial financing" />
smart answer to tariffs" />
Thai cauliflower florets" />
legacy with purpose" />
Lewis Avenue" />
resistance and unity" />
Sovereignty Project" />
to be infallible that fail" />
A look at self-confidence" />
Abbott Avenue" />
Flourless Almond Cake" />
for real estate sales" />
authorities must act" />
Michael Hawkes /98" />
looks back at 2025" />
online betting rules?" />
a film by Andrés Livov" />
for its 16th edition" />
Passion fruit meringue verrine" />
playful clownish escapade" />
Wonderful! Hawkes uses his creative voice to remind us how wasteful we humans
have become.