Prologue: We live in an over-55 community in Mesa, Arizona. The name of our park is Venture Out. There are two areas in the park containing large open-top dumsters. Residents take their trash there for removal. The areas are also where residents go to find stuff to take home.

You know what they say: One man’s trash is another man’s treasures.

This poem is about the treasures that can be found at the Venture Out (VO) malls . . .

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Life is full of wondrous treasures.
Heartfelt gifts and simple pleasures.

Gifts we’ve received from those we love.
A shiny ring, a baseball glove.

Fine china from Japan.
French perfume from Iran.

German beer from Pennsylvania.
Cornish hens from Transylvania.

I have lots of things, me and my wife.
Enough things to last a life.

But I want more, I want it all.
So off I go to the V.O. Mall.

Just look on or in a bin.
To leave empty-handed is a sin.

Pull up close to the garbage bin.
Open your trunk and load stuff in.

Get there early; look around.
There’s gifts for all; look on the ground.

Once I found some good canned food.
I didn’t want to be too crude.

I took ‘bout half; I left plenty.
Who cares it expired in twenty-twenty.

PCs, printers, cords galore.
Enough to open a BestBuy Store.

My wife started to make a stink.
Till I said, “This printer has paper and ink.”

One morning I heard Sparky bark.
He wanted to visit the dog park.

I took him there; he took a pee.
We came home with a color TV.

One time I had some yard debris.
Fronds and bark from one big tree.

I loaded it in my car one day.
Off to the mall to it throw away.

I gathered it up and worked non-stop.
Over the side into the big open-top.

From in the bin I heard such dread.
I threw it on my neighbor’s head.

Times now are looking grim.
Our house is loaded to the brim.

My wife says it’s time to quit.
I know she’s right, I must admit.

“No more stuff” to her I swore.
But Sparky barked, we’re off once more.