"A Fountain's Embrace"

I want to share with you all a poem that I wrote in 2022. The seemingly trivial act of throwing a penny into a fountain inspired me to write this piece, in which I explore an underlying metaphor of underrepresentation and difference by personifying the penny as "she" to closely follow the coin's feelings. As a first-generation American woman of color, I use writing as an outlet of expression for my experiences and interactions, which are often impacted by my identity. My motivation to start The Classics in Color stems from these themes: connection, embrace, accessibility, diversity, and belonging. I am also currently researching ancient coins and the financial customs of Rome. I hope that this piece on a seemingly worthless but very valuable penny will plant the seeds for a longer discussion on the progression of currency!

she moved from pocket to pocket

and sunk below bulldozers of silver.

she embodied the discomfort of friction

because clanging against unfamiliarity was her only job.

no longer a scare, shock, or surprise,

she always sat in subordination.

sterling spheres mirrored each other’s perfection,

shaming and devaluing her copper complexion.

she hoped that her differences would rust over

and dreamed of coining a new identity.

she longed to be coveted;

at the very least, respected.

the one outlier

worth nothing more than a single glare–

she was sole servant of society

and the lone soul

who had to bear

the burdensome

torch of the bronze.

discarded.

traded.

unwelcome.

she began to smell of haste,

disposed of by palms, each sweatier than the last.

sickening moisture crowded on her body

and she continued wishing to be taken care of.

she was a shadow of a silhouette

because no one would look out for or look after her.

no one looked like her.

she closed her eyes for a few seconds,

turning into a few days, weeks, and months,

until an exotic freshness flowed onto her face

she was relocated,

saved by someone’s hand,

whisked away into waters

in which pearls of her color glow underneath the surface.

Accepted.

Kept.

Welcome.

She entered a community.

Finally, represented and celebrated.

The water, jetting from a promising spout,

Baptized her into a new life

She was reborn and could rediscover

The beauty of her auburn shimmer.

A fugitive no more, but a family member; Penny was her name.