i traded two expired coupons for the whisper of a wish

the whisper of a wish for three beanie babies

a lucky find

the spider eggs were still unhatched

mostly

gave those to a gourmand for a pinch of essence of wonder

the essence went fast to a bored kangaroo

got three billy ripken baseball cards with profanity on the bottom of the bat and six empty i love yous

swapped those to a troll for his ingrown toenail but tucked away an i love you for a later day

you never know

not for sure

the toenail for a dream

dream for a promise broken

broken promise for an honest lie

an angry salamander flared into jet blue flame and burnt the remains of first love into coal for that honest lie

which was snatched up by a fairy hoping to lure in a satyr

she gave a drop of dew kissed by both setting and rising sun and harvested under the full moon

which went for a sewing needle and two spools of gossamer thread

an orc needed the needle and thread for her entry into the costume ball at the eerie castle

so two dragon scales and one new fireproof blouse received

and traded for a stoppered jar filled with blown kisses caught by a mischievous elf

jar for a mirror that shows how you really look with no self doubt

mirror for a golden fortune cookie said to grant any wish that was baked by buddha himself

cookie became gemstone

gemstone to handful of nails from a magic cobbler

the nails offered to an octopus in exchange for a ring of calcified hope

a falcon swooped down to give one golden feather and flew off with the ring on it’s talon

a poet took the golden quill in exchange for an ode on remorse inked in his own tears

an ode on remorse for a lyre strung with heartstrings

and loaded with an empty i love you now filled to overflowing with sincerity, these calloused fingers strum across the tendon like strings

and a soft and subtle song is played

haunting and drifting thick like pollen through the trees

a lure played with lyre

a sweet calling to continue the game

until those words are delivered to you