The little red light on my walkman fades.

REM's sound dwindles to a blur until it stops altogether.

OhMyGod!

another life has passed -

my Energizers have deceased.



I stand above my metal garbage pail

with my fallen soldiers

pondering

as two loud bangs echo in the rubbish pail -

the power units clash with the trash.

My batteries have joined the ranks

with candy wrappers and other nonbiodegradable waste.

But where do they go?

Do they venture

to Eveready Heaven or Duracell Hell?

Or do my atheistic double A's cease to exist

just like Dexy's Midnight Runners or His Boy Elroy,

Walkman fodder -

vanished off the face of the Earth



I wish so greatly to bring back the life

but all they say is

"Do Not Recharge"