Penny

Dominik Parisien

For Sophie

There is no magic in the world
but this: her, sowing copper-plated dreams on concrete and gravel.

She divines by a flick of her wrist, by the ring of coin on ground
when none watch, thinking, Investments in folklore
profit everyone.

At night she dreams of rusted coins melting
into grasping hands, of bloodstreams thick
with wishes.

Dominik Parisien's poetry has appeared in inkscrawl, Stone Telling and Here, We Cross and is forthcoming in Goblin Fruit, Star*Line and Through the Gate. "Penny" was written for his sister who for years has been tossing pennies in the street in the hopes of spreading luck.