Turn Your Talk of Economic Downturn Into Poetry

A friend of mine, Kathleen Whitby, is an insightful, lyrical poet.  We recently talked of the impact of the global economic downturn.  It's clear why Dickens' first line of Tale of Two Cities is being so frequently quoted these days: It is indeed the best of times for some people (think bankruptcy attornies); for others it is the worst of times.  For most of us, it is a little of each, depending on what's on our mind.  Yes, it's tough not to be able to spend money as freely as we did in the past; on the other hand, we're enjoying feeling frugal.  We're having more people over for casual dinner rather than overspending at restaurants.  We find that the handbag we had to have isn't nearly as important as we thought.  We hug our families and friends close.  It's a cocooning time.

Kathleen shared the draft of one of her poems with me and I simply have to pass it on.  See if it starts a conversation among you and your friends about the true value of things...

  
       

Money: Things to do to Get Some

Pick a pocket or two, Dickens wrote
it— I could do it.
Sing for my supper
Dance up a storm to stay warm
Paddle my own canoe
Swing on a star

Carry some moonbeams home in a jar
Play one potato, two potato, three potato
Four, five potato, six potato, seven
Potato more
Then, sell my chair and sit on the floor

Fly myself to the moon
Whisper “stick ‘em up” at the bank
Sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
And wish on a star

Look for “Three Coins in the Fountain”
Then dive in for a penny, or a hey penny will do
On a wager climb a mountain
Hitch my buggy to a horse
Shine shoes…wash dishes, or worse
Put snow tires on my bike
Tell the bill collector to take a hike

Ask a fellow traveler for the goods
Catch a turkey in the woods
Imagine all the tasty flavors
Thank God for small favors

    — Kathleen Smith Whitby

Have a great weekend!