Decimal delicacy

My darling daughter

You really oughta

Be more careful what you pick up

And then put into your mouth

Hand to eye coordination

A true revelation to your

Infant intellect

Allowing you to select

Selectively from your plate

Such morsels to delight

Your so far quite untrained palette

But a ten pee bit?

To wit a coin to the value

Of ten pence

Ten to the pound

A quite round sum of money

For you to acquire by your

Acquisitive little fingers

No… no… dirty! I say

Do you listen?

No

Jaws clamp tight around the treasure

My urgent pleas do never

Cause you to relent

Release the coin

Such pleasure in refusal

Your will unbent

Parents panic

Choking hazard

Vivid picture of our darling

Suffering all manner of

Alarming consequence

Soon

The grimy metal

Does succumb

To gastric muscle

Reflex swallow

Gone

A rush to the ER

Doctors medics

What’s to be done

To save our poor little one

Do nothing is the advice

Let nature take its course

Which of course

It does

As does the sliver of silver

A grimy disc as once was

With quick soapy rinse

In an instant

Becomes an indescribably

Shiny coin

For me to keep

Thus this treasure that you took

My darling daughter

Is now treasure mine

A keepsake to remind me

That you have always known

Your own mind

As such

My love for you

Knows no bounds