COPPER GOLD

The paperweight is pointless.
It rests on a desk I never use
since Uncle Marvin deeded me
his hand me down laptop
and the papers laying
underneath the copper pot of gold
may be important
but they are ignored.
I can see the dust on that first paper
and a date that coincides
roughly
with our later conversations.

The weight itself,
though,
collects no dust.
It gets wiped regularly
– just when, I can’t recall.

I do recall when you won it
at your niece’s school’s raffle
(I don’t remember the grand prize)
and how you thought I coveted it
when really,
I was just checking out your profile.

It was the first thing you ever gave me

And my house is filled with hand-me-downs,
items that hold many memories
from earlier owners
that I know nothing about.

There are many objects far newer
than your copper pot of gold
that I get greater use from.
My home houses so many things
that clutter the space
that need to be exorcised.
Your gift is not one of them.

It is one of so very few
I was led to
by a rainbow
and I will never let it tarnish.