Yesterday I felt like a millionaire 

In late July there was a sense of fall in the air

I got off work early 

The humidity was low so my hair didn’t get too curly 

Nah, it had that natural beachy summer wave 

And I opened my sunroof 

Thought about how my soul’s been saved 

For some reason I felt bulletproof

Yes, the world has gone insane 

But there’s nothing new 

I thought about hitting the Starbucks drive-thru

But then I thought nah, the grocery store is better 

Cheaper

Money, like caffeine, can be a deceiver 

So Food Lion it was 

I bought some cheddar and a whole bottle of Stok decaf cold brew 

Some everything bagels for Saturday morning (because why not?)

It was about $12 in all

The cost of two coffees at Starbucks, y’all 

I’ve heard everyday millionaires are more frugal than you’d think 

When I got home, I made my drink

A few rectangle ice cubes in a glass, that cold brew and some half & half, a shot of vanilla and a pinch of sugar 

And a banana on the side 

I took a moment to consider guerillas 

Sat on the sofa for a second, what a delight

I later went for a manicure 

A downtown stroll

A taco salad in a crunchy tortilla bowl

I thought I saw some hundred dollar bills dangling in the tree branches 

Thought of all the times I’ve asked people, “Why can’t ya?”

“Money” was always the answer 

So I stopped and reached up 

But those bills were stuck

No, in reality, they were not even there – an illusion

Like the belief that money can buy us all out of our own confusion 

I spent a little more – bought my husband a nice birthday gift 

I saw a homeless man in the underpass 

Considered giving him a 20 but didn’t think it’d really give him a lift 

There was still a feeling of tightness in my traps 

And on a beautiful afternoon, this deluded rich gal relapsed 

When I got back home, there were bills in the mailbox 

The in-box too 

And the edge of the roof appeared partially collapsed 

There were no bills mixed in with the pink crepe myrtle blooms 

My Golden retriever offered no help 

He suggested we go to the beach and eat some kelp 

So we did, but beachgoing doesn’t pay 

It was fun though, to feel like a millionaire for a day 

It’s still a mystery to me how money is made 

Apparently trees don’t make it 

People do 

So I determined to learn to stitch, to learn the body and medicine

I’ve realized that ultimately for our plight, it’s something money can’t fix 

Even those with lots of it feel far from heaven

But I suppose the venture is still worthwhile 

And I wonder in the end, after it’s all been spent, if the money all ends up in one big pile