Nickel Man

Nickel Man

Have you met the nickel man?

Shiny and hard, and sharply presented at first,

But dull and scratched and indistinct with use.

Have you seen the nickel men?

Brittle when thin, easily bent from true form,

Coarse when fat and often in the way.

Low-valued they are,

But widely in use,

Added in when needed for the full measure.

Wearers of the cheap suit,

Shoes just that side of burnished,

The buzz word finds their mouth easily.

Do you know a nickel man?

Third cousin, beer near to hand,

Working on the next divorce.

The favor he asks,

Character witness,

Sour butter would be a preferred flavor.

Are you too close to a nickel man?

The required distance is avoidance,

It only gets greasy when you shake hands.

Where do you find the nickel men?

Writing law that will not affect them,

Or producing the reality TV.

They may be under your car,

Installing the used oil filter,

Or interwebbed, selling “vintage” plastic baubles.

In bulk they grow ever more useless,

Heavy and unyielding,

Taking too much space for too little value.

Have you seen the nickel man?

How do you find the nickel man?

No need to look; he’ll find you.

Cliff Lake 4/7/2024

CliffSongs