Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Mama Michaud 'Members



The Echo of What Remains Collected Poems of Wanda Lea Brayton




                   — Written February 27, 2007






Down by da Quatta, cher,
we roll dem bones all evenin',
sippin' cafĂ© au lait
'n eatin' beignets

likes dere's no tomorrah,
'cause dere ain't, don'tcha see?

Dose jazz 'n blues'll getcha
if da gris-gris 'n gators doan firs'.

'Nawlins is sinkin', dey say,
'n da pirogue's gotsa hole in 'er
so deep, spit 'n glue jus' won't cure it.

Pat O'Brian's,
she jus' ain't da same
withoutcha, cher.
I done drank
too damned many hurricanes as is.

See that blacked-out buildin'
ovah dere, my sistuh?
I 'members when Fats made dose walls
shiver wild,

splinterin' da seams
a'fore dey caughts fire.

Ponchatrain's gots voodoo
written all ovah its currents, chile.
Beware da shadowy depths.

Dat Spanish moss hangin' from de oaks?
I 'member stranger fruit dan dat.

Da night, she wails.
Dat moon, she weeps.









3 comments:

  1. that was amazing...ha...i love your dialect...made me think o bein down in louisiana again...ah the moss...there is a bit of magic in your words...great last 2 lines too....

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  2. haha... I so appreciate this, living on the TX/la. border, having spent too much time at Pat O'Brian's. In fact I'll be with some coon asses this weekend, just not drinkin'.

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