Saxophone

Not by money
- Markanthony Mastro

When younger, money for pleasure.
Older, money that creates money.
Oldest, money for medicine, protection
from the elements that have becomne
the elements of money.

Pleasure, protection,
Guilt money, gold the color of wheat
grown on "real estate,"
Farm money, Wage Earners, their "careers,"
their cities, Car money for the suburbs,
subways to bring them in for their money,
Bank money, trust, savings, standing in line
for Cash money, Coin money for the machines
to wash the Clothes money, Laundered money,
Drug money, the sons and daughters
of Economists' money, Boat, Plane and Get Away
money, The Arts money, 1-Love-You-Honey money
for the dinners whose table and atmosphere
are the discreet sauce of Food money,
my money, your money, our "tax" money,
Pound's money, money for an ounce, a half-gallon,
a fifth, Milk money, money for the containers
containing the distribution of money.

Promotion money, earning "good money,
having no money, doing it for money.
Money turned to power no longer
money, money through time, the spirit
of money-secular, psychological money.
Who's Got and Where Can We Get
some money?

You and I, our money. Their money.
Our pleasure and fist full of money.
Laughter over money, serious laughter
over money. Too much, too little,
fluid money. The saxophone, color of wheat,
purchased through Hock Shop money, saxophone
splitting the night, our air, blowing money.