Weekend Mini Challenge - In the Market for Poems

I love markets - that is, I love food markets. (I kind of hate shopping for anything else.) 

One reason I thought of today’s prompt is because I recently took a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico and was lucky enough to take pictures of some markets around Oaxaca, which I thought would be fun to post.

Here's the poetic aspect of the prompt:

So much of life is an exchange.  Every choice is a bartering of one alternative with another.  Even a conversation is an exchange; even a breath.  Sometimes in these exchanges one tries to sell something concrete, sometimes one tries to sell an idea, sometimes, one's self or one's image of one's self. 

Sometimes people become a little bit like the things they sell (in the way that people sometimes begin to look like their dogs.)  Or they become a little like the things they buy. 

Then there’s the whole idea of marketing--how people might strive for attention for themselves or their product.  (Or not.)  

So, how does this translate into today's poem? 

Consider some kind of bargain, exchange, purchase, promise. It can be an exchange or promise made by or to you, or by or to some one or something else. (It does not have to have anything to do with a true sale, direct promise, and it certainly doesn't have to do with a food market.)

 Alternatively, think of some way in which a person, thing, relationship, country, world has been molded by a barter or exchange.

Or think of exchanging places with someone or something.  You could also use a formalistic poetic exchange--by, for example, writing a poem using homonym or rhyme (each which is rather like the exchange of one word for another that sounds the same).

Or if you like simply think of some market place.

But please keep in mind that the poem does not have to deal with any market at all!  Here's a pic that's not from Mexico, but of my beautiful granddaughter.  Still, it seemed to fit the topic of exchange so well, I could not resist including it. 

So, here we go, Toads!  And as part of the wonderful exchange of ideas that goes on here--read the posts of your community poets! 

Two final points.  All rights are reserved in the pics here.  I offer for inspiration but not for use (as I don't feel I have a full panoply of permissions from the persons photographed.)

And then, in the interest of my own self-marketing, I am made bold to mention that I’ve just come out with a new book, a children’s novel (that is also great for adults), called Dogspell - or Sally & Seemore & the Meaning of Mushki.  Please check it out, especially if you have ever been under the spell of a beloved dog!