Dollar Bill's Conscience

Oct 20, 2021

A poem by Beverly Stock.

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Oh Dollar Bill, I hold you tight,

Just earned some days ago,

In my pocket, you burn tonight,

Let’s go to a movie show!

Dollar Bill, from hard work, earned;

My traveling is so overdue,

Staying home? That idea’s spurned.

Where on earth should I spend you?

Dollar Bill, with halo green,

Think of all the sales; let’s go,

Goods in racks I’ve never seen.

Or curb-side shopping, on the go?.

DB wisely says, “I don’t care,

the child needs shoes; I’ll buy a pair.;

the child has no clothes sized to wear;

In both child’s stockings, there are tears!

Dollar Bill, you’ve played a part.

I don’t care for a movie show,

I’ll shop my closet and look sharp,

To my downtown, we can go.

Dollar Bill, as we say good-bye,

Your conscience is my reason why.

Ring Lardner’s Good-By Bill, a poem in the public domain, inspired my verse.

Beverly Stock is an American poet who delights in creating poetry that asks big questions about small moments, and inspires readers to revisit the little memories we so often overlook. Her work has been published by The Society of Classical Poets, The Chained Muse, Persimmon Tree, and LightenUp Online, in the UK. Visit BeverlyStockPoetry.com and BeverlyStockPoetry on Facebook.