Deprecation

 Deprecation

Self worth,

it turns out,

is not like 

the crumpled bill,

lost and forgotten

but waiting

to be found 

when the cold comes again

and the coat is needed

and hands seek warmth.

There it is.

Brushing against fingers,

dirty and wrinkled,

but able to be

spent or saved—

Its worth

intrinsically intact.

Turns out

that my self worth

was more like 

the shiny penny

that jangled in a pocket 

until it bounced out,

hit the pavement,

rolled down the street,

and plummeted down a drain.

Never

to shine

again.