Silent One Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

Penny For Your Thoughts

So many pennies,
lost in the system,
rejected, neglected,
dejected -
cursed by '99' price tags,
a charity box favourite,
nobody wants nor waits for.

So many forgotten pennies,
lost on the streets or behind our sofas,
yet pounds are never thrown away.

Both are round, so why do they only care for the pound?

Maybe its a matter of currency and colour,
or social structure, value and power.

No pound without pennies,
only empty piggy banks and jars,
but pound lovers take pennies for granted,
abuse us, belittle us, try to control us.

They get jealous of our shine,
try to manipulate us into a mouldy depression -
no wonder there are so many homeless pennies.  

When did we stop being a priority,
descend to the bottom of society.
Just because we are misunderstood, do not fit in,
we are still round, but ignored by the system 

a conflict of civilisation.

Imagine if all the pennies got together,
instead of being slaves to the pound?

Then surely we'd be stronger,
or would we just become pounds?

Has the penny dropped yet?

Sunday thoughts
Silent One
9 February 2020

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Angela Crabtree December 7, 2020 at 1:48 PM A lot to think about. They do seem to be a dying breed, so to speak :)

Timothy Hicks May 12, 2020 at 1:14 PM What a cool extended metaphor through the long forgotten penny ... emphasizing the arbitrary value we assign things. An excellent head thinker ... though I wonder? The climax of the poem, for me, seems to be "or would we just become pounds?" .... feels like that would have been a great note to end on. Just a thought. Silent One May 12, 2020 at 1:23 PM I agree...I perform this as part of spoken word and end it at pounds... It's more about social classes and how the lower classes are not taken seriously or valued as much.

Old Buck February 29, 2020 at 2:00 PM So goes civilization. First the penny was ignored, now the 5 cent refundable can is left to clutter our highways and byways. What might be next, the elderly? I only say that because "I R 1". :o) keep them coming and thanks again for sharing with all of us on the soup. oldbuck Silent One March 1, 2020 at 5:20 AM Yes you are very right, this is a metaphor for civilisation... thanks Buck.

Ann Gilmour February 29, 2020 at 7:24 AM Very clever S.O. I enjoyed reading about those sweet pennies. Although I hate to admit it, I am old enough to remember the ha'penny and farthings ~ I must be so old, hahaha... with kindest thoughts Ann xx Silent One March 1, 2020 at 5:21 AM I briefly remember a half penny, i was very very young... Thank you Ann

Cecilia Macfarlane February 26, 2020 at 11:16 PM I miss finding pennies on the ground, like Richard said they are no longer in circulation in Canada. Enjoyed you thoughts. Hugs Silent One March 1, 2020 at 5:22 AM They are trying to get them out of circulation here in the UK also..

Susan Ashley February 26, 2020 at 7:30 PM Such a beautiful, thought-provoking poem, Silent One. I love the metaphor of the penny and how it enhances one's thoughts on the imbalances between the 'haves and the have-nots'. A brilliant piece! Warmest wishes always, my dear friend.. ~Susan Silent One March 1, 2020 at 11:01 AM Yes they said it was very Marxist... They understood the concept...Thankfully most have understood the metaphor . Susan Ashley March 1, 2020 at 10:54 AM I can see how on the surface this may seem tongue-in-cheek, but for me, the meaning in much deeper below the surface. I love to get between the layers of your poetic brilliance. Silent One March 1, 2020 at 5:23 AM Thank you Susan, ive performed this as a spoken word piece and once i got laughs and another time they took it a bit more seriously....

Quoth Theraven February 26, 2020 at 9:05 AM Silent One, This is a witty poem. Maybe The currency exchange will be ground zero for the coin wars. There will be skirmishes in (penny) loafers, toll booths, and arcades. The lone penny is tired of being oppressed & pressed at Disneyland and squashed on random train tracks. -Richard Silent One March 1, 2020 at 5:25 AM Yes, until the penny drops..... Sadly we pennies do not protest enough, i guess... thanks.

Richard Lamoureux February 25, 2020 at 8:37 AM In Canada we abolished the poor penny. Today pennies and tomorrow I fear for the lowly nickel. I enjoyed this wise penny piece or should I say Penny wise? Silent One February 25, 2020 at 8:41 AM I think all the pounds want to abolish us pennies, but little do they know, they would not be where they are without us... Thanks Richard..

Janis Medders Tobechi February 21, 2020 at 7:58 AM Find a penny pick it up/ all the day you'll have good luck. I PICK them up from the ground and say this. Good poetry, well said. Silent One February 25, 2020 at 8:41 AM Thank you Janis, that is a great spirit.

Ann Foster February 17, 2020 at 12:09 PM I have come back to this one yet again. It is simply lovely. .... imagery... and profound wisdom... a mark of your trade. Ann Silent One February 17, 2020 at 2:20 PM Thank you for the revisit..

Connie Marcum Wong February 16, 2020 at 5:56 PM I still believe in "find a penny, pick it up, all the day you'll have good luck" They count up over the ears and you never know when that rarest of penny's may be discovered! I enjoyed this Silent! xxoo Silent One February 17, 2020 at 2:21 PM That is a great spirit.. Thank you.

Kai Michael Neumann February 16, 2020 at 5:44 AM Very clever ... Silent One February 17, 2020 at 2:22 PM Thanks..

Alison Hodges February 15, 2020 at 4:25 PM What a lovely poem! do you ever miss the Half penny? I do. Silent One February 17, 2020 at 2:23 PM I think im too young to remember them.... Thanks Alison..

Phyllis Babcock February 14, 2020 at 3:11 PM A very creative poem on pennies. Many thoughts go different ways with this poem. Nicely written. love phyl Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:33 PM Thank you..

Paul Callus February 12, 2020 at 8:25 AM This creative penny metaphor ought to make people stop and think, S-1. Regards // paul Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:36 PM Thank you Paul..

John Watt February 11, 2020 at 5:47 PM Good one... many layers to this. Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:37 PM Thanks John..

Mystic Rose Rose February 10, 2020 at 4:31 PM Ah, you unleashed your muse here, and she is shining like a bran new coper penny thanks to you S.O. Love it. Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:38 PM Thank you..

Maria Williams February 10, 2020 at 12:45 AM I like you way you think and you have put forward some very valid points. Like this one especially 'Imagine if all the pennies got together, instead of being slaves to the pound? Though don't be too harsh on the rich, some of the millionaires I know are the most humble people with 'poor man's stories', motivational speakers and books they've written are all to teach people to get out of certain mindsets. For some rich and manipulative, well, theres no hope for them. Great poem....Maria Hugs Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:45 PM This is not necessarily about rich people... It about those who abuse power and deprave others...

Brandy Nicole February 9, 2020 at 9:15 PM So many ways this can be taken. So many thoughts to ponder. "One" can do great things. One person. One Penny is more than you had, if you had none. Just my simple thinking. ~ Brandy Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:47 PM Indeed and thats the beauty of poetry... Thank you.

Sandra Adams February 9, 2020 at 7:45 PM I pick up all the pennies I find...I think of them as gifts from heaven ...dimes it seems these days I find more, perhaps they are worthless to others too... I like you train of thought and the metaphor in this one... great penning my friend... hugs Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:54 PM Thats a lovely thing to do.... Thank you.

Rico Leffanta February 9, 2020 at 5:43 PM People had entirely different values back in the day when the size of a British or Irish penny was the size of a US $! Aloha! Rico Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:52 PM Yes, so much has changed..

Kim Rodrigues February 9, 2020 at 4:58 PM ...no wonder there are so many homeless pennies...that one is worth thinking about. I wonder if we retrieved all the lost pennies of the world...those pennies with dirty cheeks, not so shiny coats, those stuck to the silted edge of metal boxes, those frankly that are tossed into the air some of which a magician pulls from behind the ear...just some little thoughts ;) Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:51 PM i am glad it made you think.. That was the aim of the poem.... Thank you

Ann Foster February 9, 2020 at 4:18 PM Oh this was wonderful. What a lovely story teller you are... I would sit by the fire side and listen all night... Ann Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:50 PM Thank you..

Gershon Wolf February 9, 2020 at 4:06 PM As well, what happened to 'pennies from heaven?! Enjoyed your muse, S.O. Thanks! :) Gershon Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:49 PM Good point.. Thanks

Juliet Ligon February 9, 2020 at 3:13 PM Interesting perspective of the penny. A lot of parallels can be made from these thoughts. Silent One February 15, 2020 at 3:49 PM Thank you..

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