Mind Gardens: One Thin Dime

Hey buddy,
can you spare a dime?
I'm sort of, temporarily,
a poet without a rhyme.

I gotta hunch you understand.
I can see it in your face. I'm
think'n you're my kinda man,
a real gift to the human race.

I just want you to know,
this ain't my style every day.
I've had my good times, but
lately they ain't come my way.

Did I say a dime? I ain't thinkin'
too clear. I shoulda said a buck
or a five spot'd be even better
considerin' the size of my bad luck.

I see you're still listenin' to me.
That's more than most of 'em do.
I can't be sure, but I think
it says a lot about you.

I did say a fiver. Ain't that right?
My mind ain't what it used to be.
Course if you're a little flush today,
a twenty'd almost make a man of me.

But if you ain't got it, that's okay.
Don't worry none. That's life, you know,
just keeps goin' the way it will,
good times come and good times go.

Well, you sure are quiet, I'll say that.
Me rattlin' on and you ain't said a word.
Ain't moved an inch or blinked an eye.
Makes me wonder what you've heard.

Okay, well — tell you what, maybe
you got problems bigger'n mine.
You never know. I've seen it before.
So I think I'll give you a dime.

It's the last one I got or I'd give you more.
But sometimes a dime's as good as a buck,
specially when a man gives all he's got.
They say it can change everyone's luck.

Here it is, one thin dime. It ain't brand new,
been passed all around and lost all its shine.
But I got a feelin' somethin' good's goin' on
—bigger and better than one thin dime.