Difference of opinion

One of these poles is vertical. I hope!

I don't know what criteria the power company use to determine when their poles are too old, but whatever those criteria may be, they've kicked in. National Grid are replacing most of the poles in the neighbourhood. They use a big augur to drill the hole for the new one, drop it in, transfer the wires to the new pole and chop the top off the old one.

The poles carry many utilities - electricity, cable television, telephone and the surveillance cameras used by the city. Until all the others move their stuff, the old pole stands - slightly askew - next to its newer sibling.

We never call them power poles though, always telephone poles.