For sale Poem by Meena Kandasamy

My school bud, he work hard.
He slog. He make money.
He grow dam rich.

He go to da temple, where
his po' ol' folks ain't allowed.
He buy incense for two bucks
flowers for five, kinda shaggy
coconut for ten bucks.
He also buy a standing place
at da front and da special prayer
in his name all at twenty more.

Priest with ash and holy smoke
come to him, give extra blesses for
a cool crisp fifty my bud gives.

He stand there and stare,
stare hard at the Gawd;
his first time in temple.

Then my jus Blessed bud, he ask me:
Say, ya, how much da "Luxmee" cost?