Poems and song lyrics
159,918 poems read
Empty Cans
I sit here at my desk
Look across my one-room apartment
What's left of it anyway
Dishes are stacked in the sink
From God knows when
My clothes in a pile on the floor
Next to the mattress
I used to have a real bed
But that was a lifetime ago
And the floor is covered
By so many empty cans
I get out of my broken chair
Open the trash bag
And begin
This can was my school
I had it all
A scholarship
A dorm room
I did the classes
The books
The whole works
It's so hard to picture me there now
I'm not sure when it happened
When the parties became more important
Than the classes
When friends changed
Into people I got drunk and stoned with
This can has been empty for a while now
And there's not a drop I can still taste
I put the can in the bag
This can was my job
The one I got
When I finally decided I didn't need school anymore
I could make money
With what I had learned already
The salary was nice
I bought the new car
I even bought a house
Everything was going great
Parties after work until two
Weekends that washed through Mondays
Except I had to start working ten hour days
When the market started changing
And the pressure at work kept building
Until everything burst
We first were told about the downsizing
Then came the layoffs
Then they said the whole company was moving
Problem was
They weren't taking me with them
I found my friends slowly disappearing
All that was left was me
Yes, this can is empty now too
I put it in the bag
This can is Sheila
She was my high school sweetheart
We had so many plans
So many dreams
She was my first
My one
My only
She even followed me to college
Even though she could have gotten a scholarship
At a better school
She tried to stay with me
Even after the company left
But I closed that door
One too many phone calls at three in the morning
Asking for money to take her out
I don't blame her
I'd throw that can away myself
I put it into the bag
This can is special
It is my sister Mary
Growing up we were so close
We did so many things together
Took care of each other
She was there for me when I left for college
I'd call her almost every day
She stood behind me when I decided it was time
To leave school
She was the first person I invited to my house
She stayed with me
Even after Sheila left
She left checks at the office
To pay my rent
She even called my old priest
To stop by for a visit
I don't think he will ever forgive me for the words I used
As I slammed the door in his face
No, this can is so special
It stayed full the longest
Mary left last night
I was taking too much
Too much time
Too much money
She couldn't give anymore
Her home was at stake
Her marriage on the line
She had to make a choice
And it couldn't be me
I didn't understand then
I threw a bottle at her
As she turned to walk to the door
I woke this morning
When the phone rang
She is doing ok
No, her husband isn't going to press charges
I don't have to worry about that
But I was lying on the floor
When the phone rang
With this empty can on floor
Not two feet from my face
And I finally realized
It was the last one I had
I pressed it to my lips
Held it there until my lips bled
But there was not a single drop left
So now I'm going through my apartment
Picking up the empties
Naming each one
And putting them in this bag
No, not to take to curbside
I did that so long ago
This time I'm going to straighten them
The best I can
And fill them
No matter if it is with my blood or my tears
Yes, these cans might be bent and faded
I know they will never be new again
But hopefully they will still hold
A little of what I need
All I know
Now
Is that I can't be empty
And stay here
Anymore
Ed Roberts 7/18/09
Look across my one-room apartment
What's left of it anyway
Dishes are stacked in the sink
From God knows when
My clothes in a pile on the floor
Next to the mattress
I used to have a real bed
But that was a lifetime ago
And the floor is covered
By so many empty cans
I get out of my broken chair
Open the trash bag
And begin
This can was my school
I had it all
A scholarship
A dorm room
I did the classes
The books
The whole works
It's so hard to picture me there now
I'm not sure when it happened
When the parties became more important
Than the classes
When friends changed
Into people I got drunk and stoned with
This can has been empty for a while now
And there's not a drop I can still taste
I put the can in the bag
This can was my job
The one I got
When I finally decided I didn't need school anymore
I could make money
With what I had learned already
The salary was nice
I bought the new car
I even bought a house
Everything was going great
Parties after work until two
Weekends that washed through Mondays
Except I had to start working ten hour days
When the market started changing
And the pressure at work kept building
Until everything burst
We first were told about the downsizing
Then came the layoffs
Then they said the whole company was moving
Problem was
They weren't taking me with them
I found my friends slowly disappearing
All that was left was me
Yes, this can is empty now too
I put it in the bag
This can is Sheila
She was my high school sweetheart
We had so many plans
So many dreams
She was my first
My one
My only
She even followed me to college
Even though she could have gotten a scholarship
At a better school
She tried to stay with me
Even after the company left
But I closed that door
One too many phone calls at three in the morning
Asking for money to take her out
I don't blame her
I'd throw that can away myself
I put it into the bag
This can is special
It is my sister Mary
Growing up we were so close
We did so many things together
Took care of each other
She was there for me when I left for college
I'd call her almost every day
She stood behind me when I decided it was time
To leave school
She was the first person I invited to my house
She stayed with me
Even after Sheila left
She left checks at the office
To pay my rent
She even called my old priest
To stop by for a visit
I don't think he will ever forgive me for the words I used
As I slammed the door in his face
No, this can is so special
It stayed full the longest
Mary left last night
I was taking too much
Too much time
Too much money
She couldn't give anymore
Her home was at stake
Her marriage on the line
She had to make a choice
And it couldn't be me
I didn't understand then
I threw a bottle at her
As she turned to walk to the door
I woke this morning
When the phone rang
She is doing ok
No, her husband isn't going to press charges
I don't have to worry about that
But I was lying on the floor
When the phone rang
With this empty can on floor
Not two feet from my face
And I finally realized
It was the last one I had
I pressed it to my lips
Held it there until my lips bled
But there was not a single drop left
So now I'm going through my apartment
Picking up the empties
Naming each one
And putting them in this bag
No, not to take to curbside
I did that so long ago
This time I'm going to straighten them
The best I can
And fill them
No matter if it is with my blood or my tears
Yes, these cans might be bent and faded
I know they will never be new again
But hopefully they will still hold
A little of what I need
All I know
Now
Is that I can't be empty
And stay here
Anymore
Ed Roberts 7/18/09
Comment On This Poem --- Vote for this poem
Empty Cans
Empty Cans