Money, and: From the Stamp Collection of P. Monk

48 the minnesota review Matthew Roth Money 1.My pockets spring open with marsupial alacrity, its mere presence a happy coupling of bread and clean bed linen, win and the heimliched remains of a dubious ancestry. 2.To have and have lots, the good factory humming its simple song of the ledger . . . 3.My father: "Next time Uncle Larry pulls a quarter out your nose, kick him in the balls and run." 4.They were money launderers, my young ears heard, and I thought how pleasant that job mustbe, cleaning each bill, wiping away the sweat from a hundred too-tight fists, stroking their soft, clean backs, like rabbits. 5.Long ago, when money was beardless, it made cruel alliances with charity , with villagers who still whispered at night so the stars wouldn't hear. Roth 49 From the Stamp Collection of P. Monk #72 is the Archduke of the Grand Duchy of etc. a quite noble chin and one wispy lock of brown hair curling round his ear which is pink as if he just stepped in from a ride on his donkey which he rode through the snow to the cottage ofthe artist Borodov who noticed the light clinging there on the side of his head and so put it down and we know this because we stayed in the Archduke's palace the four of us crammed in his bed with our feet sticking out listening to the tour guide who chainsmoked and belched the national song and didn't mind if he did have a bit of our cheese thank you very much this is not on the stamp. ...