Small Change

[TranquillityBase]

Small Change

Throw wheat pennies into the air.
I-Ching sorts out
answers from questions unasked.

Indian head nickel, where did you go?
Back to the Black Hills to die.

Anonymity turns on a Mercury head dime,
who is really Wallace Stevens’ wife.

Kennedy’s head a half-dollar makes,
but where is his brain?

The Peace dollar, 
a decapitated Goddess of Liberty, minted in 1921, 
didn’t last long.  Nor did Peace.

I was taught I could use pennies instead of yarrow sticks for consulting the I-Chiing, but they had to be wheat pennies.

Legend has it that the model for the Mercury head dime was Elsie Stevens, Wallace's wife.

[Mark A Becker]

Damn Tim-
this one is almot too much 'fun' to be in the fun zone. The undertones are quite dark, so we'll call it black humor.

Very clever idea for Small Change, and that title is perfect.

Small change indeed.

Way to go
Mark

[dukealien]

Pleasing and educational.  Googling "peace dollar" led me to hobo nickels - a fascinating subject.

Small Change

Throw wheat pennies into the air.
I-Ching sorts out
answers from questions unasked.

Indian head nickel, where did you go?
Back to the Black Hills to die.

Anonymity turns on a Mercury head dime,
who is really Wallace Stevens’ wife.

Kennedy’s head a half-dollar makes,
but where is his brain?

The Peace dollar, 
a decapitated Goddess of Liberty, minted in 1921, 
didn’t last long.  Nor did Peace.

I was taught I could use pennies instead of yarrow sticks for consulting the I-Chiing, but they had to be wheat pennies.

Legend has it that the model for the Mercury head dime was Elsie Stevens, Wallace's wife.

[TranquillityBase]

Damn Tim-
this one is almot too much 'fun' to be in the fun zone.  The undertones are quite dark, so we'll call it black humor.

Very clever idea for Small Change, and that title is perfect.

Small change indeed.

Way to go 
Mark

Thanks Mark.  Yes, I have a funny idea of what passes for "fun".  Long ago I read in an interesting horoscope column (might still be around, by a guy names Bob Brezny?) that it's a Virgo trait.

I think the "Indian head nickel" line is a little too heavy.  Maybe need to lighten that part up a bit.

Tim

---

Pleasing and educational.  Googling "peace dollar" led me to hobo nickels - a fascinating subject.

Thanks Duke.  I will revisit peace dollar and check out hobo nickels.

TqB

[dukealien]

I think the "Indian head nickel" line is a little too heavy.  Maybe need to lighten that part up a bit.


TqB

The other side of the "Indian Head" nickel was a buffalo [bison] - it's often called a "Buffalo Nickel."  Could be same idea, but a little lighter, or at least green/conservationist rather than anti-colonialist? 

When I was stationed near the Black Hills I was panhandled by Indians, but never by any of the bison I met.

[Mark A Becker]

“but where is his brain?”
It left with Jackie on the plane.