Anthony John Edwards

THE WISHING WELL

By Anthony Edwards

A boy stood at a wishing well, in his hand, his only penny

A penny wish was all he had, for hope hadn’t any

He leaned over the old black brick, and feeling rather rash

Closed his eyes and let the penny fall to a distant splash

He held his eyelids tightly closed, and wished with all his might

That just this once might see him fed, and safe and warm this night

For earlier that very day, upon a lonely dusty street

The little boy had spotted something gleaming at his feet

He placed his foot upon the penny, his feet so bare and cold

And waited till the road was free of people young and old

Then as soon as he was able, just when he thought it best

He scooped the penny quickly up and held it to his chest

The little boy took to the forest, quickly, like a fox

He thought of buying a loaf of bread, or maybe shoes and socks

He dreamed of tasting candy like the pretty children ate

and hid beneath an old gray tree, the hour growing late

When there beyond the meadow, just as sure as he could tell

A turret made of old black brick, the fabled “wishing well”

It seemed to call him softly so he rose to meet its call

Until he rested on the old black brick, his penny soon to fall

In desperation, maybe… a gamble, there’s no doubt

A penny could buy many things he’d so long done without

Yet there he stood as night fell, both hands empty now

Regret touched him, sweetly, but he’d get by somehow

So as he wandered into darkness, away from that dark pit

He made a promise to himself that he would never quit

And that come the sunshine, upon awaking the next day

He would find work in the village, digging trench or pitching hay

Many years later, as the story goes

A rich man came to town, dressed in dapper, fine new clothes

To some he looked familiar, but they did not know his face

He seemed to know his way around…he seemed to now the place

He smiled upon the village square, as though he’d seen it all before

Then in the months that followed, he built shelter for the poor

He opened up a kitchen where the hungry ate for free

And to everyone who asked, he gave them shoes and socks to please

He built a home for children where they could all sleep oh, so well

And over the door he hung a sign that said, “The Wishing Well”