Eastman Johnson, American
“Grandpa, May I Please Have a Nickel To Buy Some Candy? But This Time NOT at 18% Interest?,” 1869
Oil on paper
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/// Eastman Johnson’s art— not esoteric.
It could hang in the home of a cleric.
Here’s The Brown Family,
people just such as he:
well-off, white and with last names generic.
/// Grandson William, with long golden hair
and the dress-like attire he would wear,
would today be called “she,”
but in that era he
was an average pre-school millionaire.
/// Grandpa James was the man in control.
Took for granted his paramount role.
He had privilege, rank,
owned a family bank,
but this James Brown was not known for soul.
/// Wife Eliza knits, passive and mum.
She knows her role in life which, in sum,
is to care for their mansion
and to dote on her grandson,
but primarily fade and play dumb.
/// Banker Brown scans his paper to read
how well latest investments succeed.
He bought merchant ships (three)
and a judge in D.C.
who’ll interpret laws based on his need.
/// James, in jest, when addressing the staff
would inquire about his “better half.”
Never noticed her merit.
In the end she’ll inherit
all his wealth. ‘Liza gets the last laugh.