Money money money
How much do you make
How much do you take
beads, sugar and spices
let’s trade with good will
Ask a person
how much money do you make
it’s unpresidential
or “how old are you”
impolite–crude and crass
My income–
Retirement–450 dollars a month
Social Security
It’s all so boring and petty
I’m 73 and moving up
A billionaire friend of mine
asked what’s this issue about money
can we travel
on higher ground and–
don’t let your dog poop on my lawn
It’s only money
lying, dying, crying
craving
a paper moon
let’s stir a melting pot
A stranger came to town
claiming he could make stew
from a rusty nail
(a childhood story I recall)
then everyone pitched in…
Onions, garlic, scallions from one
potatoes from another
one small carrot
wild herbs growing on the grounds
green beans, red beans, black beans, soy beans
yams, sweet potatoes, dried persimmons,
nasubi, daikon, mushrooms,
vintage bottles of sake
on and on and on
And then…
Endo San played taiko, Kamiya San played sanshin
the full moon grew brighter, fuller,
the singing, dancing, laughter grew bolder
the sky ripped wide open,
And then…
Genie Nakano 