When I Get the Money

WHEN I GET THE MONEY

Gold, diamonds, platinum will be mine.

I'll buy Hammer's old house and drink fine wine.

I'll give money to the poor in Mozambique.

I'll buy the biggest diamond, the diamond of Mystique.

When I get the money I'll give a tenth to Yahweh.

I'll buy my own city and create a day called Ray Day.

When I get the money I'll buy me a statue in my image.

I'll hire a historian to retrace my family's lineage.

When I get the money I'll tell the world, "I got money!"

I'll bring Fred Sanford back to life and make him call his son Dummy.

When I get the money I'll spend it all on roast pheasant.

But I'll still have money left over to give to the poorest peasant.

Raynard P.

Cody High School

InsideOut Student

Detroit Public Schools

This is just to say, to all who read without complaint my steady stream of emails and Facebook messages that landed in in-boxes all across the city and country, that InsideOut was on the receiving end of $24,905 US dollars during our latest fundraising campaign.

We couldn't have done any of this without all of you who reached into your own pockets and helped spread the word, for us, about us.

Thanks for making it all possible.

We can't thank you enough.

To borrow from another poem, "What Money Can't Buy," written by Veronica G. of Southwestern High School:

"What I want,/ money can't buy/...a few people/ to stand by my side."

We appreciate your good company.

Most sincerely yours,

Peter Markus

Senior Writer

InsideOut Literary Arts Project