Old Money by R.A. Pavoldi

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Old Money
by R.A. Pavoldi

Don’t worry doll face, what I got’s 
better ‘n money, redeemable for time 

at any blue collar near-death 
location, stashed in closets, attic 

in boxes, I got cat’s eye marbles 
chipped on Tenth Avenue, 

Tweet’s old Pinochle deck, a tied 
sack of jacks, baseball cards like 

Peppitone, LaSorda, and DiMaggio, 
I got an olive jar full of the Atlantic 

from a girl I’d never see again, 
seashells, beach glass, an’ pichers, 

sharks teeth, snake eyes, Indian 
head nickels, I got 78s and 45s, like  

Louie Prima, Harry James, 
Jimmy Roselli, and Jerry Vale, 

I got a Victrola, a Model A crank, 
shift knob, and piston, an all the old 

recipes right in my head - tarrall’, 
zepoll’ and a’ beetza gien’, I got 

cugini and coombahds - 
Johnny, Paulie, Tundi, and Nuche, 

and old billheads, Pavoldi Plumbing 
and Heating, an’ Albanese Fuel, 

campaign pins, Patsy Albanese 
for Town Counsel! and, I Like Ike! 

I got Tommaso’s sausage grinder, 
Ant’ny’s Saint Christopher medal, 

Raymo’s pipe wrenches and Ruger, 
Antoinette’s Saturday shot glass and

Madalena’s Sunday size bowl, 
I got clippings and obituaries, 

accusations, racketeers, and revenuers, 
Antonio and Innocenzo, their immigration 

papers scratched with an X, 
I got the ole man’s campaign ribbons 

every color of the South Pacific, 
my mother’s yearbook and tassel, 

and you on our weddin’ day baby 
twirlin’ like a petal in a smokestack, 

don’t worry you married down Toots, 
I know a ting or two ‘bout a ting or two, 

I still got a couple tree aces  
up my sleeve, 

when that last day comes high rolling puddin’  
I’m ready to deal, 

I got 500 clams baby, 
I got a bucket o’ Smack-a-Roooz.

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