A mass of metal glows upon the ground,
intensely densely yellow-cored and cold.
Beside it waddles awkwardly around
the mutant goose that laid those eggs of gold.
A solemn guardian presents your choice:
Now which, he asks, would you prefer to hold –
will this enchanted goose make you rejoice,
or would you rather own the heap of gold?

And even though the bird requires care
beyond the vigilance that metal needs,
the chooser every time and anywhere
will always pick the treasure that self-breeds.
Now don’t you think selection seems absurd
when product over process is preferred?