This narrative poem is an adaptation of the rap by “El Guante,” Kyle Myhre. Read the prose translation here.

she was never here the man shouts as he moves about
through the office and I cant make a move or else
cause Id be uncool gotta stay firm and frozen
no emotion feelins toward her is hopeless
his words are potent, kicks dont stop at all
my girls on the floor rolled up like soccerballs
you know what happens when you go around talking shit
better behave, the man yells as he licks his lips
we get the picture quickly, shes here to erase her past
so no tabloids can trace her back
to this place in fact, I can see her in the back of the car
this manager knows how to handle his star
so I convince myself, I never knew Earnie
her name was never Sun-hui she never worked for me
she never rapped for us, she never went to the inns
buy her CD, but we can never see her again

they call me basket, made of light bamboo
put the water in and the water runs through
were all baskets, full of nothing its true
put the rice in and the rice runs through
dont know the world and we dont know the truth
were all baskets, everything runs through
so light so helpless its true its tragic
the whole world is a basket

flashback to the beginnin Im nineteen and focused
kicked out the school for not studyin they bullshit
never liked they stupid classes
korean history teacher tells me my heads an empty basket
just because I cant remember
the name of some sword from a thousand years ago Im like whatever
he slaps me repeatedly, I jump to attack him
push him on the ground and the class stops laughin
I scream, strainin my face til its red
what amazin shit you got in your shithead?
yeah it aint fair but the worlds fucked up
no regrets I just chalk it up to dumb luck
I tried my best now Im a fill my empty basket with bucks
see, I run a PR club
now PR is what they call it on the news
but its pussy retail to those who really wanna know the truth
dont criticize me thats whats happenin
my girls are young and cheap and they dont ask for tips
we cruise Seoul in a Bongo and hold it together
life is fucked up but it aint gon get no better

they call me basket, made of light bamboo
put the water in and the water runs through
were all baskets, full of nothing its true
put the rice in and the rice runs through
dont know the world and we dont know the truth
were all baskets, everything runs through
so light so helpless its true its tragic
the whole world is a basket

it was last winter when Sun-hui showed up one night
dragged in by her brother, a friend of mine
she was medium weight, about medium height
but I could see in her eyes something wasnt quite right
she looked nervous I could see her irises twitch
told her brother shit somethings not right with this bitch
but he was like you should take her yo her body works fine
she just has problems with words sometimes
now thats bad for business but I did it anyway
gave the man a hundred thousand and sent him on his way
and as he left he said the bitch wont respond to anything
but you can talk to her only if you sing
now when he left she just sat there stupid
one a my girls asked her how many times you do it?
she didnt answer, the girl got upset
another girl chimed in: remember what the man said

female voices:  you gotta rap it like this boom pa ch ch
                how many times have you done it bitch?
                boom pa ch ch do you understand?
                you gotta get the money have a plan
                boom pa ch ch what ya say now?
                great service no tips how we play now
                boom I like uncles, we always fresh

young chick PR club you know we the best

we loved rap and didnt hold back
and before long Sun-hui had a rap vocab
Im gonna be a singer she would say in her slow rap
booming voice, a flow that made ya toes tap
and I felt so bad so fuckin bad cause before long
Sun-hui also had her first man
and see, I never could bring myself to do her personally
it just didnt seem right
she got done by three of my friends in a row
and I could feel a change in her that night
the uncles loved her and her powerful voice
and before long she became the clubs top choice
yo but what do I care?  shes just another bitch
no big deal, no reason to really give a shit
she aint no different she aint no different
and if she is Ill never admit it
        
they call me basket, made of light bamboo
put the water in and the water runs through
were all baskets, full of nothing its true
put the rice in and the rice runs through
dont know the world and we dont know the truth
were all baskets, everything runs through
so light so helpless its true its tragic
the whole world is a basket

I dont remember how we ended up there alone
me reading the paper, her washing some clothes
no one in the office just the sound of water fallin
from the faucet no one singin no one hummin no one talkin
I watch her move, her forearms in the light
like a middle-aged woman who been  washin all her life
and something in me wants to hear her
so I put the paper down and move nearer
she doesnt notice me at first but my heart aches
I just stare at her dont know what to do what to say
then she gets a glimpse of my face
suddenly reaches out and puts her wet hands on my waist
begins to unbuckle my belt I wanna stop her and shout
you fuckin slut is that all you think about?
but I dont, she removes my pants without askin
and plunges them into the laundry basket

they call me basket, made of light bamboo
put the water in and the water runs through
were all baskets, full of nothing its true
put the rice in and the rice runs through
dont know the world and we dont know the truth
were all baskets, everything runs through
so light so helpless its true its tragic
the whole world is a basket

Now most of the uncles are just regular guys
who do their thing, pay the money and get on with their lives
but then theres the educated class though
the writers and the journalists and the music business assholes
these perverts need words to get off, askin stupid questions
never just entrances and exits
and there was one in particular that all the girls dreaded
but hed pay double every time hed get it
he called one day and Sun-hui volunteered
we all had doubts but yo she had no fear
she smiled as she flowed a beatbox like a moan
then she went to meet him and she disappeared
its gonna hurt a girl said as she watched her go
I just smoked my cigarette I knew she wanted dough
so it was all good, this music agent had the big bucks
and we didnt see Sun-hui for six months

female voices:  oh my god its Sun-hui look at the TV
                shes on stage promoting her new CD
                shes fuckin changed, eye liner and heavy earrings
                that tight shirt the shaved head and the piercings
                they say her names Earnie now, a music sensation
                a female rapper for the new generation
Earnies voice: Are you earnin any dough Earnie? Tell em Earnie
                Gotta get that money in a hurry

a day later, that manager came
to play soccer and protect his clients newfound fame
and we all stay quiet, and go about our business
the same old shit aint nothin different
our situation wont change overnight this is life
she was the only one who could never quite get it right
and me, I think about her sometimes
she called once ya know, and I knew that it was her on the line
though it was silent at first,
then I heard thats how I live, its the money I earn!
her voice echoed in the phone
then the line was cut off and once again I was alone
and its the same ol same nowadays
I sit in this office cause I gotta get paid
I look at that basket where she washed my clothes
and live life a hundred times lighter than before

they call me basket, made of light bamboo
put the water in and the water runs through
were all baskets, full of nothing its true
put the rice in and the rice runs through
dont know the world and we dont know the truth
were all baskets, everything runs through
so light so helpless its true its tragic
the whole world is a basket