Face Value

-Face Value-
by
Keaton Foster



On the ground
At my feet
No one sees
No one but me
It’s a quarter
One fourth of a dollar
Twenty five pennies
Two dimes and a nickel
Ah the luck
Such a fortunate soul
I know
I understand that I literally
Could buy nothing with it
At least nothing that I want
And nothing that I really need
But I found it
It will for a time be mine
I bend down and pick it up
Light
Not heavy
Unburdened
Like new
Untarnished
Mint condition
I wonder to myself
As I often do
What’s that like
Of course
Such an answer
Not so easily given
Not so easily understood
Try defining something
Undefinable
Without a dictionary
Then maybe
Just maybe
You’d understand
The quarter cares nothing
Certainly not for me
Or for every other
The quarter cares nothing
With regard to its situation
Or it’s tedious predicament
It’s just a quarter
Ninety percent silver
Ten percent copper
Two metals shaped
Formed under pressure
Stamped into a design
Each one identical
Each one exactly the same
Except of course for the date
Freedom it seems
Must be reminded
Both when it started
And when it was created
I can understand that
Do you
God I hope
I study each detail
The date
The face
In God we trust
The majestic eagle
Fig leaves
Arrows
Symbiotic symbols
George Washington
The first of a dying breed
Since 1796
E Pluribus Unum
Liberty
Freedom
Act as we wish
Not as others wish
A hell of a concept
Stand for something
Either simple or complex
Or both if that is what’s meant
Liberty and freedom
Both awe inspiring
In concept and feeling
Printed on money
Born into our psyche
No questions
Not a doubt
We would die for it
At least we would before
I’d like to think
That we still will
This quarter
Mine
At least for a time
This here and now
I know who it belongs to
And what it stands for
It’s not an amount
It’s not a currency
It’s an idea
Something greater
Then you and I
Then everyone
Everywhere
Twenty five cents
At face value
But let’s be true
Let’s be quite real
Such a coin
Left here for me to find
For me to write about
Has a value much greater
Than any sum
That could ever be spent…



Face Value
Written by Keaton Foster Copyright © 2013
Note: I wrote this about a quarter that I found today, and in a way because of the recent events of our great country. Enjoy!