In the center of a rather unimpressive town,
There was a wishing well, and people would come down,
With their pennies and their spare change,
They'd form a line; it'd seem deranged,
To an outward pair of eyes,
Desperation in disguise.
When one made it to the front of the line,
They'd take their coins and toss them inside,
Hold a hope in their heart,
To guide them through the dark.
A man named Victor, who lived in the town,
Scavenged for change and tossed it all down,
Into the pit of wishes, praying for riches.
Time went by, and nothing changed,
Victor realized he wasted all his change,
Stormed into the center, acting all deranged,
This is what he had to say:
"Don't be fooled by the wishing well.
I made the same mistake, and I fell,
Don't waste your dignity, it's not for sale.
Feeling like a fool, pales,
In comparison to feeling swell,
Knowing you didn't waste your money on the wishing well.
Run, run while you have the chance,
Don't let them fool you with greed's dance."
Despite what Victor had to say,
The people didn't listen, the people threw their change,
Down into the well and got onto their knees and prayed,
For a desperate change.
Victor was astounded, he was stunned,
But he was rejected and shunned.
Head hanging low, he left the town,
While the people kept letting their hopes sink down.
Eventually, Victor stumbled onto a cave,
Feeling adventurous and slightly brave,
He took a timid step in,
And what awaited him.
Was an old man, rocking on a chair,
As many different coins fell from the air,
Victor had just stumbled into the rat's lair,
The old man chuckled and tousled his hair.
"So, you've found the secret of the well,
No one will believe you if you tell.
Stay with me, reap the benefits of this lie I sell,
Here at the bottom of the wishing well!"
Victor rushed and punched the man across the face,
Yelled in his ear, "You're a disgrace!
How dare you abuse the hopes in their hearts,
While you stay down here, lost in the dark!"
Victor dragged the man, fuelled with rage,
Back into the town, into the center stage.
The people gasped, their faces white as a page,
In the old man's hands was all of their change.
"I warned you of the wishing well!
Put your hopes and dreams into something else!
This man used you, as you can tell.
So, toss him down that wishing well!"
The people screamed and turned into a mob,
Grabbed the old man, ignoring the cops;
Tossed him down the well, and when his cries stopped,
They thanked Victor since the lie had been dropped.
Don't be fooled by wishing wells,
No matter what they try to sell.
Hope isn't something to put up for sale,
Buying into it will come to no avail.