When A Kid Asks “Why Is Money Good?”

If you write someone a check

For $20.42

You’re basically giving them

A fancy IOU

That they can take to any bank

And swap for coins and bills

Which are, themselves, just IOUs

From folks on capital hill.

You can use these IOUs

To buy treasury bonds

Which are IOUs that pay you cash

Just for holding on.

If you cash these IOUs

You’ll find, in fact, you can’t

Because they’re just as meaningless

As the average Facebook rant,

But if you give them to your friends

Or drop them from the sky

You’ll become an instant hero.

Now do you regret asking “Why?”