Dana Gioia "Money"
Money, the long green,
cash, stash, rhino, jack
or just plain dough.
Chock it up, fork it over,
shell it out. Watch it
burn holes through pockets.
To be made of it! To have it
to burn! Greenbacks, double eagles,
megabucks and Ginnie Maes.
It greases the palm, feathers a nest,
holds heads above water,
makes both ends meet.
Money breeds money.
Gathering interest, compounding daily.
Always in circulation.
Money. You don’t know where it’s been,
but you put it where your mouth is.
And it talks.
“Embrace” is a poem depicting what it looks like when an individual, usually a kid, turns their back to you and crosses their arms to make it look like someone is hugging or kissing them. The interesting aspect of this poem however, is that the speaker is giving the audience a view of what the individual looks like from the front. The person’s arms are crossed, and you can visualize them being fitted for a straitjacket. My reasoning for using this poem is because it is something that I have done as a child. Looking back now, I laughed when reading this poem because I am sure that it looked quite funny from the front. I enjoy the way the speaker is able to place into words the visual aspects of what the front and back view would look like. When reading this poem, I am easily able to see what the speaker is talking about, and too, able to laugh at it as well.