The Shiny Penny

Reflection caught my lazy eye,
there on the narrow street.
I spied the shiny penny's glint -
right underneath my feet.

Many will not pick one up,
as value is so small -
and they believe it worthless for,
most anything at all.

To pick it up, not worth it -
at least that's what they say.
but oh, my time was not a waste -
was not a waste that day.

Though there embossed, was Lincoln's face -
the date stamped clearly too -
more engravings marked the back,
proved it a penny, new.

But single penny - what can buy?
Good luck, what can it bring?
What help buys it, the hungry?
What good, the shiny thing?

Its purpose can be measured,
the value, one small cent.
But there had to be more to it.
My patience had been spent.

I found it - just a penny,
so small and very thin.
I thought it, all but worthless,
but then I looked again...

First opening my fingers,
then cleaning off the dust -
I finally found great value with,
the words, "In God We Trust".

This poem was a finalist in the July 2011 poetry contest