THE JUNK

 

Three dimes and four nickels,

Would buy me her junk…

Five half used pencils

And ten broken crayons.

She’d throw in a ball

And a tablet of paper,

These treasures she’d sell me…

For just fifty cents.

But now came the hard part,

To convince my mama…

That her junk was worth it,

For just pocket change.

I did not know then,

That it also would buy

A pound of ground meat

Or four loaves of bread.

“But, mama, it’s worth it,”

She’d hear me beg,

“It’s just fifty cents

and really is worth it.”

She’d dig in her purse

And hand it to me,

My daddy’s earned nickels,

His hard-working dimes.

I purchased the junk

And walked away smiling -

My loot in a bag.

My friend shared her bounty,

And I skipped on home,

Her junk now my treasure,

And it was all mine,

And barely cost nothing…

Three dimes and four nickels.