Wes Unruh: Money
a close-up of a word
losing meaning
where money is water
“we were broke. The town cold.
With four dollars a day
streets were wet. Jobs hard spending that last four dollars
few options for food would
have wiped us out.” Money
it no longer signifies. there’s a silence,
the loss of coin to paper,
the paper to credit
“rich white people
like me, they fund
my art” and sold
to the color of more
with each transaction
cash burning;
a memory of wealth:
bank enough money
to be saved. Ourselves…
money lies, you smear
money across the counter
It’s manifest destiny, the first
dollar bill framed dribbles
above the register does
make money
make value
make meaning
“you fold the bills
right you can see
the towers fall”
she’s got the video
online we’ve spent
all the loose change
the more you have
the less it means
and exchange rates,
memories, shadows,
a handful of dust
and great white guilt
from OVO 18 MONEY (April 2008)
