See a penny pick it up all day long you”ll have good luck
The scheme offering reason for bending to scrape up
What buys absolutely nothing except help on a tax
Today, the first truly hot day of our summer, while
On a well traveled road to buy a lottery ticket
From the convenience store lying at the heart of town
It laid there, dull, green, and bent in on one side, not in half
Like one would suspect pennies to be bent, if at all
This penny curled upon itself; the start of a croissant
Maybe a thumb so worried, anxious; desperate for
Something bad not to occur, or hopeful at least there might
Result from the combined efforts of all that emotion
Transferring in pressure onto this penny from that thumb
Some wish for goodness to unfold or surprise the one
Whose only hope might have been this old well used bent copper
Disc that now not even fits into a slot for coins
Nor can add much value to anyone’s purse or pocket
But at some point in time, I like to imagine that
It gave comfort to another as possibility
This ugly little penny now traveling well with me