Coins
by Jean Chapin SeifertLittle one,
remember when I took
the five brown pennies
from your hand,
and in their place
I put a gleaming silver dime?To my surprise,
you cried with rage--
replacing five with one
could not be fair!I smiled, then,
at childish reckoning...
until I thought how often
that our Father takes away
the copper blessings
from my hand
and in their place
He puts more precious ones.Yet, angrily, I count myself
defrauded by the gift.I have not understood
Eternal reckoning.