Rhymed Conversation with Money
The work presents a critical exploration of the relationship between humanity and money, personifying it as a corrupting force that influences thoughts, actions, and societal structures. The speaker addresses money directly, accusing it of causing destruction and despair, while simultaneously acknowledging its role in defining wealth and poverty. The poem opens with a series of rhetorical questions that challenge the reader to consider the broader implications of money's existence, suggesting that it has contributed to the degradation of both the environment and human spirit. The imagery evokes a sense of decay and loss, portraying money as a source of moral and existential decay. As the conversation unfolds, the speaker critiques the way money distorts creativity and expression, arguing that it reduces profound human experiences to mere transactions. The language is rich with metaphors that depict money as a thief, a stench, and a manipulative force that entraps individuals in a cycle of desire and guilt. The speaker reflects on the paradox of money: while it is a necessary tool for survival and societal function, it simultaneously serves as a barrier to true fulfillment and artistic expression. The poem suggests that the pursuit of wealth leads to a hollow existence, where individuals become slaves to their desires and societal expectations. Ultimately, the work serves as a meditation on the duality of money—its ability to provide while simultaneously corrupting. It challenges readers to confront their own relationship with wealth and the societal structures that uphold it, urging a reevaluation of what it means to be rich or poor in a world dominated by materialism. The tone is both accusatory and reflective, inviting a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding money and its impact on human life.
By Maxwell Bodenheim · First published 1923 · Genre: Poetry, Social Critique, Philosophical · 526 words
First lines
How many planets have you raped, Where only animals escaped To scrape with melancholy needs The bones of last men lost in weeds? Since you are blunt and fraudulent You must receive a bare treatment. Adverbs and adjectives undress When greeted by excrescences. You are the stench on any street, Thick with the vagaries of defeat: The wench who plies her squawking crime Within the alley-ways of time. For men desire to guard with pain The limitations of their brain, And drag the numbness of their hearts Within ornate and creaking carts. And for these tasks they must be bold, Clutching endurance from a cold Squirming with you within the dark, And rising blistered with your mark. Again you give to doubting lust An argument which it can trust.
What this Textopian page supports
Rhymed Conversation with Money is listed on Textopian as a poem by Maxwell Bodenheim, dated 1923 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Maxwell Bodenheim
- Date: 1923 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Social Critique, Philosophical, Literary Fiction, Satire
- Length: 526 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse and employs rhyme, characteristic of poetic forms.
- Social Critique — The themes explore societal issues related to money, wealth, and human behavior.
- Philosophical — The text delves into existential questions about value, existence, and the human condition.
- Literary Fiction — The writing style is reflective and artistic, typical of literary fiction.
Tags
Poetry · Conversation · Financial · Literary · Modernist · Experimental · Free Verse · Stream-of-Consciousness · American · 20th Century · Avant-Garde · Surrealist