Saul Bennett
A Precious Liberty
half-dollar I let slip
through the grate
in front of the bakery
sent at 8 for rolls
during the War when four bits
bought two Wonder Breads
or a Polo Grounds bleacher seat.
The owner said the thing hadn't
unlocked for years and now
wouldn't budge. In 20 minutes
my mother rounded up about
every kid on the block announcing
a reward (20 cents) to the genius
who could fish the treasure.
A whole pack of chewed-up Wrigley's
flattened on each tip, broomstick
bats were squeezed down, catching
again and again but always
losing the coin brought a foot
or two up. A magnet-on-a-string
failed. A boy who fixed his stick
with Tester's airplane model glue
finished behind the gum. Past dusk
finally Mother called it off and sent
each kid home with a dime.
There were eight of them.