My uncle used to say
that on a bear day or a bull day
in Toronto and New York
the hawkers and the hungry
put and take and call
squatting in the ticker
on the floor of the exchange
'they deal in the future
'they deal in the mutual
'they deal in bonds
'and the common share

I never could figure
how they did their trade
He said the one rule
was let the buyer beware
If you never can buy
you never will care

Warrants debentures convertible preferreds
dividends margins sterling and bullion
marks and francs and dollars by the million
were only fancy words
Penny stocks for dreamers
are what men bought up here

North of the mountain
the forest is gone
the horizon is a gash
that bleeds a gold sun
My uncle is dead
and my only one
is sick from the river
which flows green green