What child doesn’t like to throw a coin into a fountain? My grandchildren do. And I readily supply the coins. Not long ago I stood holding my 11 month old granddaughter near such a coin filled fountain. She was tired and fussy, but the flowing water distracted and soothed her, and provided the seed for this poem.
wishing well
are all the coins
in all the fountains
in all the world
enough to feed a child?
all the fountains
enough to heal?
do those in want
and serious wound
bless the child’s
feigned charity?
or do they wet
a coin as well?
Husband. Father. Grandfather. Pilot. Pastor. Poet.
2 responses so far ↓
real live preacher // Jan 15, 2008 at 10:53 pm
This points to a deep unknown. Why do we do this? We know there are pagan reasons behind it, of luck and whatever. But the kids? They just like to do it because others do. It really makes you wonder.
Mark Goodyear // Jan 23, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I really like this one, dad. The way you weave the “w” sound throughout the poem really struck me.
The content, too, but the sound of this poem was especially intense. I also like the way the syntax caused me to hangup on “a serious wound.”
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