Smoke Money

Smoke money, I can smell it through the bag
Smoke money, it burn the hand that has it
Slow money don't shine, but it holds the key
Smoke money blow away

Seventeen, July, Charger in the lot
Cousin Trey leaning with the engine still hot
Brown paper bag on the passenger seat
Said, "One run tonight, and you eat for a week"
He had the chain, he had the shoes
He had the laugh that the whole block used
I had a tire shop shift at nine
Grease on the apron, eight-fifty a time
I leaned in close and the smell hit first
Gasoline, menthol, something worse
Like the night the kitchen caught the curtain flame
Mama with a towel, calling out my name
I said, "I'm good," and he called me soft
I walked to work with the smoke behind me, lost
Every dollar in that bag had somebody's name
Every dollar in my pocket just had mine, the same

Fast and loud
(then gone)
Slow and quiet
(stays on)
Smell the bag
Before you hold it

Smoke money, I can smell it through the bag
Smoke money, it burn the hand that has it
Slow money don't shine, but it holds the key
Smoke money blow away

Blow away
(blow away)
Smoke money
(blow away)

Nine years later, a number I don't know
Area code from a place you don't go
Fifteen minutes on a line that clicks
Trey on the other end, voice thin and quick
Said, "You was right," I said, "Don't say that"
Nobody wins when the smoke comes back
I put money on his books that same night
Didn't post it, didn't make it a fight
The Charger got sold for a lawyer's first hour
The chain in a drawer at his mother's house
I bought the tire shop where I used to sweat
Sign still crooked, I ain't fixed it yet
Every slow dollar got a roof to its name
Every fast dollar had to burn to explain
I don't judge the bag, I just know the smell
I know which money got a story to tell

Fast and loud
(then gone)
Slow and quiet
(stays on)
Smell the bag
Before you hold it

Smoke money, I can smell it through the bag
(smoke money)
Smoke money, it burn the hand that has it
(burn)
Slow money don't shine, but it holds the key
Smoke money blow away

I didn't say no because I was brave.
I said no
because I had already watched
one thing I loved
go up in a kitchen.
I knew what smoke costs.

Smoke money, I could smell it through the bag
(smell it)
Smoke money, it burned the hand that had it
(burned)
Slow money built the shop where I stay
Smoke money blew away
(blew away)

Blew away.