I rose up hard through the ranks,
Shining shineless shoes aglow.
Some just paid me with their thanks,
Some just a penny a toe!
On my long way to the top,
I shined tears from eye to eye.
Because sometimes shoes would stop,
Alas, most shoes just went by!
I sweat, I scrimped, and I slaved,
Put every penny away.
I knew every penny saved,
Would shine gold for me some day!
Had spit-polish dues to meet,
Singing the St. Louis Blues.
Saw more than a million feet,
And more than ten miles of shoes!
But every shoe that would stop,
Just one more penny to peck.
Till packs of pennies would drop,
And put gold around my neck!
All those precious pennies earned,
I fondly think on once more...
The golden rule's what I learned,
Now I own my own shoe store!
Lay me down in open skies
Put the pennies on my eyes
Wrapped in my suit and tie of gray
Say a couple words of grace
Toss the earth upon my face
And let's call it another day
Endless time is all I've got
As I decompose and rot
It's a horrid situation
As I leave you all behind
The one thing that comes to mind
Should have asked them for cremation
Three Pennies from Heaven dropped as I opened my bedroom door,
From a loved one who tossed them to the hardwood floor.
They came to tell me how I’m truly missed,
And that Heaven definitely does exist.
They dropped at midnight- taking bathroom break,
Later two glued together- there was no mistake.
If only I could tell them I miss them but I think they know,
I’ll hold those pennies tight and never let them go.
So if you find a penny in your trodden track,
Store it safely away and never give it back.
Hold it close to your heart and memories will flow,
When they once were living not very long ago.
Copyright © 2024 By Caryl S. Muzzey
Pennies From Heaven
Love Is A Given
When God Is Your Leaven
Long after the drought
vast fields of parched earth
have waited with ears to the wind
Desperate with thirst and withered to rust
each breeze tosses dust to the sky
Then, thundering sounds, from the stomper of clouds
comes from deep from the girth of the hills
There are trampling sounds, and rain seeds are thrown
in answer to prayers, with requisite words
that roars to deafen their fears
In great anticipation, the sky becomes dark
and the spark of excitement is high
The sun becomes lost, and the pebbles of rain
fall to earth, tossed like bright silver coins
Hydration of air, is a gift from the gods
Invigorates, and awakens the sod
Precipitation arrives, and the world comes alive
Crystallization of hope and surprise
Sun-choked and thirsty, earth turns up an eye
grateful, at last, to the clouds in the sky
While Into green silk, comes a new stalk of grass
and raindrops are now welcomed home with applause
________________________________________
4/4/16 Originally For "Elements Part #3 Water
Sponsor Laura Loo, for Any poem written on April 4th/ 2016
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