When I was Little
By Octavio R. Gonzalez

i was warned not to put small change in my mouth or else
i would swallow it. 
i used to keep warm nickels, pennies, even dimes
sometimes inside my mouth, swirling
them ever so gently like a treasure.
one time i swallowed
a nickel.  i was nervous, but they
told me it was okay.  i would just expel
it like everything
else.  although i looked for days, i never did
see it again.  i never held coins in my mouth
after this, knowing they would not be safe.