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Worthless or Priceless?

It was the best cherry-cola that I ever had.
It’s the aftertaste now that’s incredibly bad.
It was 1953, at the corner Five and Dime.
I still think it might have been some sort of crime.

I had saved enough money from mowing some yards,
to buy one more pack of Topps Baseball Cards.
As I peeled back the wrapper, anticipation grew,
hoping to find me an all-star, maybe two.

“Nothing” I yelled out, “This totally stinks.”
Treasure doesn’t always appear like one thinks.
Some rookie named Mantle was all that I found.
“Fat chance of him ever sticking around.”

My buddy there with me was a big Yankees fan,
a sucker, I thought, for my ingenious plan.
With considerable effort, I convinced him to swap,
my “worthless” card for his “priceless” pop.




Author notes

Or was it the other way around? The 1952 Rookie Mickey Mantle card has been valued at over $50,000 by some price guides. – Wow! I have lots of old baseball cards I collected as a kid, but not this one. I wrote this as I watched an old-timer tell a shop-owner about another one that “got-away.”

In a list

A contest entry

    I plan to revise this poem: please leave constructive criticism!
    : , Your review:

    Comment Suggestion: What is your your first impression?
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Comments

1 - 23 of 23
  • Theasp
    May 20

    Edit | Reply

    Send a copy to me

    @dameme44@aol and I'll show you a possible fix.--great poem.

    ann
    TheTrue Asp-was sick and unable to judge-sorry you would have had an easy second.


  • BluesMan gold member
    February 26
    Edit | Reply

    This was a great story with a good rhyme and flow Thank you for entering my contest


  • echo-ink
    February 9
    Edit | Reply
    hehehe,lol
    yup, this kind of [stuff] happens,


  • Mrs D
    February 6
    Edit | Reply
    MADE ME CHUCKLE !


    thanks for entering


  • apoeticinjustice gold member
    February 6

    Edit | Reply
    great story and one that I can relate to...I gave up some hockey cards in my past that I now regret. An entertaining read, well done.
    Rory


  • januaryrain gold member
    January 7
    Edit | Reply
    this still makes me laugh. I love it.


    • WordsDoMatter
      January 9
      Edit | Reply

      sorry

      I didn't notice I entered this twice... thanks for liking it... again - Kevin


  • breedluv gold member
    January 5

    Edit | Reply
    I still remember collecting the cards. Your poem summed up the chances you take with horse-trading them perfectly. That was one expensive bottle of soda!


  • Lisa.
    January 4
    Edit | Reply
    realy good poem you should in oh waiy you won first prize thats good keep up the good work


    • WordsDoMatter
      January 4
      Edit | Reply

      thanks

      I'd rather have the card (than the gold), but I'll settle... wanna trade for a mountain dew? - lol - Kevin

  • Topnotchsy
    January 4
    Edit | Reply
    Nice write. Congrats on the well deserved gold trophy. Definitely shows how sometimes time provides a very different perspective on things.


    • WordsDoMatter
      January 4
      Edit | Reply

      thanks

      perspective is a very interesting concept... ahh, I feel an inspiration coming on... see ya - Thanks - Kevin

      • Topnotchsy
        January 4

        Edit | Reply
        Hope this sparks something magical. (I'll take any credit for the poem.)


        • WordsDoMatter
          January 4
          Edit | Reply

          hey,

          I'll trade you for a dr. Pepper... oh, been there, done that.. nevermind... Kevin


  • Mirthryl
    January 4

    Edit | Reply
    Delightful reminiscence! Times DO have a way of changing perspectives! Outstanding title, and after a hot day of mowing yards, the appeal of the soda was easy to understand Great rhyme and enjoyable meter.

    • WordsDoMatter
      January 4

      Edit | Reply

      undertandable

      but golly... sometimes great treasure pass right through our hands... often they are not the monetary kind.... - thanks for indulging me - Kevin

  • januaryrain gold member
    January 3

    Edit | Reply
    Lol, if we only knew, I would have taken better care of my cards, I only bought them for the gum.
    thank you for the laugh and your wonderful entry.


  • Pollycheck
    January 1

    Edit | Reply
    Thank you f9or entering my contest. This on eactually mader me laugh out loud. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this ironic tale.

    • WordsDoMatter
      January 2
      Edit | Reply

      how cool is that

      as an accountant for 23 years I don't think I ever made anyone "laugh out loud" - I am so glad to have left that behind. thanks for sharing your response - Kevin

  • mysty rain
    December 25, 2008

    Edit | Reply

    Charming

    My, my, they do say hindsight is 20-20 don't they? If we only knew then what we know now we would all have been pack rats. This is very charming indeed. Your friend in Poetry, Mysty Rain

    • WordsDoMatter
      December 26, 2008
      Edit | Reply

      thanks

      good morning... this was a fun write for me as I have thousands of old baseball cards (just not that one). Lots of memories. God bless - Kevin

1 - 23 of 23