A Penny for your Thoughts

A peddler hopes to acquire a man's thoughts in exchange for a rare treasure. But things don't go according to plan, for one of them, that is.

“A penny for your thoughts?”

“I’d like a dime, at least!”

“Perhaps, you’d like this box?”

“Is there something underneath?”

“This is a magic box!”

“I’m not sure I believe.”

“It can conjure anything

Your simple mind conceives!”

“Why I am not so simple!

My mind is full, indeed!”

“Quite so, good sir!

Forgive my manners!

I did, of course, misspeak!”

“You say this box can conjure

Anything my mind conceives?”

“Indeed, good sir!

How wise you are!

Do you finally believe?”

“Perhaps a test could be conducted

To prove to me your merit?”

“I’m sorry, sir. It’s a one time use!

It simply could not bear it!”

“Still, all you ask

Is merely my thoughts?

To pay for such a treasure?”

“Just that! Oh, yes!

A minor thing!

For what you gain in measure!”

“Perhaps I might.

Such trivial things.

I’m ready to commit!”

“Release your thoughts!

Pray, give them here!

Or the box you do forfeit!”

And so the fool

Did pay the trickster

Every last unique thought

The treasure was real

But save you a mind

Its power would never unlock

So now the fool wanders

With no thoughts of his own

But he has a box

He’ll forever call home

Now these final words

I do leave with you

Take them to heart

For therein is truth

Please, treasure your minds

And all unique thought

Don’t sell yourself short

Trading priceless for a box

Author's Note

I wrote this as a creative exercise. I simply wanted to see what I could come up with if I took a simple idea and ran with it. I wrote this with two sayings in mind. 1. "A penny for your thoughts?" and 2. "Think outside the box!"