Penny Pincher Leaves Millions

A child was entrusted to me
but I gave back a mouse. What is it
to dream of someone else's teeth

in a ditch, what is reason
but a dead corsage pinned on the id
before the dance. I would have

known you better next time and will.
Until then, we'll keep the passive
voice in business, maintaining

mistakes were made when we mistakenly
fingered Penny Pincher in the lineup.
When I was in pictures, I was known

for the look in the amnesiac's
eyes before he asks his beloved,
"Who are you?" I used to nail

that one every time—the line, not
the beloved, although there were
incidents. I never could recall,

so how could I improve? How
many more lion cubs must I return
to the lion store before I learn

how cute but dangerous
they are when there's more
than one to mind? Penny's left me

for too many others to measure,
but I maintain I saw them
coming. Trust me with nothing.

Copyright © 2010 Mark Bibbins All rights reserved
from Conduit
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission