THE BAG OF SKUNK AND THE GHETTO BANK

I STOLE 50 GRAMS OF SKUNK

FROM AN AMERICAN STUDENT

THE SCENT WAS STRONG

I PUT THE BAGGIES IN A BAG

THAT I PUT IN A SECOND BAG

THAT I PUT IN A THIRD BAG IN THE BOTTOM OF MY BACKPACK

I ATE DINNER AT MOM’S PLACE

SMOKED A CIG IN THE LIVING ROOM

FELL ASLEEP ON THE SOFA

THE NEXT MORNING THE STASH WAS GONE

IT WAS SIMPLE AS THAT THE BAG WAS EMPTY

NOBODY IN THE GHETTO COULD BORROW MONEY FROM THE BANK

THEY HAD A SYSTEM THAT MOM CONTROLLED

IT COULD ALL BE BETWEEN 2–20 PEOPLE

EVERYONE PAID BETWEEN 100–1000 A MONTH

THOSE WHO WERE IN NEED GOT TO THE POOL FIRST

AND IT CONTINUED THAT WAY THE NEXT MONTH

THAT’S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO LEBANON

THAT’S HOW EVERYBODY WAS ABLE TO GO TO LEBANON

EVERYBODY WANTED IN ON THE SUMMER POOL

I WENT INTO MOM’S ROOM

MOVED THE TOP MATTRESS

A CLEAR BAG FILLED WITH BANKNOTES

I STUCK IT IN MY INSIDE POCKET

WENT OUT TO THE STAIRWELL AND LIT A SHORT

CALLED HER UP

I ASKED WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY STASH

FIRST SHE SAID WHAT STASH

BUT THEN I REMINDED HER OF THE POOL

AND MOM CAME HOME

I GOT MY STASH AND SHE GOT HERS

Translated from the Danish

Notes:

Read the Danish-language original, “SKUNKPOSEN OG GHETTOBANKEN,” and the translator’s note by Jordan Barger.

Source: Poetry (March 2023)