Everybody just stop charging for things. Everybody, yes, give things away for free. I got C in Economics. I’m sure there’s something I’m missing. It can’t be that simple. E.g., I don’t believe money is the root of all evil. But barter. Do we have to trade? Can’t we just give? Can’t we just take? Give according to our capabilities and take according to our needs? I would gladly provide my teaching pro bono (as I already do my writing, my mothering, my friendship) would gladly give up my paychecks and tiny royalty checks would even give up my TIAA retirement account minimum withdrawal checks if that meant I wouldn’t have to write checks for food, electricity, and Goodwill. What would I do with paychecks? I would gladly give up being paid if that meant I didn’t have to pay. And I don’t need a profit. What would I spend profit on if everything’s free? And if profit = ego, I’d learn to give up ego. Yes, I’d be among the first to stop charging. Pay it forward, pay it back, pay it sideways, If everybody cooperated, it would even out. It can’t be that simple but if it were I’d be happy to keep on teaching for no paycheck keep on being writer, mother, friend. Always happy to provide my capabilities for anybody’s needs. Always happy to do unto others the weighted equivalent of what they do unto me. And always happy to satisfy my needs by plugging into anybody’s capabilities. Always willing to guiltlessly take from others the weighted equivalent of what they take from me. And always more than happy to trust to give it a try. Copyright 2020 Marion Cohen
Bio:
Marion Deutsche Cohen is a poet from Philadelphia, PA. Her 31st poetry collection is “The Essence of Seventh Grade: A Kind of Autobiography” (Alien Buddha Press). Other recent books are “The Discontinuity at the Waistline: My #MeToo Poems” (Rhythm and Bones Press) and “The Project of Being Alive”. She just finished teaching online for the first time, at Drexel University’s Honors College, her course “Mathematics in Literature”. About the “above” poem she says “What I really feel is that insecurity (not only financial but also emotional – and not only not feeling loved but also feeling adequate) is the root of most evil.”
Donation Appeal:
Throughout June and July, we will be presenting on this web site work by poets and artists responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope you will find these works relevant, comforting and inspiring as we all cope with the economic and health-related fallout.
As you view the work on this site each day, we would like to encourage you to donate to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC). Their mission “ is to feed our neighbors in need by providing dignified access to supplemental groceries. AFAC is seeing a record number of families due to the COVID-19 pandemic as families who never thought they would ever be in need are now showing up at our doors for much needed food.” And, in keeping with our hunger-focused efforts, you may also want to visit the Poetry X Hunger website where poems by many poets are posted and are being used by anti-hunger organizations.”
Throughout June and July, we will be presenting on this web site work by poets and artists responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope you will find these works relevant, comforting and inspiring as we all cope with the economic and health-related fallout.
Please consider donating to AFAC. If you do, let us know which poet or artist inspired you so we can send you a personal thank you.
If you send a donation, please let us know.
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