The Nickel

My aunt gives her granddaughter a purse.

And when the small child looks inside,

She finds a nickel,

Laminated,

And cut into a circle so big,

She can’t fit it into her mouth.

That’s clever, my mother says,

To give her money for her purse.

It’s bad luck not to, my aunt replies.

And suddenly I realize

My mother’s unintentional curse,

The explanation for everything.