Erren Geraud Kelly
Snow in the French Quarter
Flowers in a corner of Bourbon street
still linger with a sad refrain, it is
too cold for the women to expose themselves
though tourists pose next to carriages,
and the sounds of jazz still fill the
air, no one is on the balconies, this city is
no stranger to catastrophe, a painting
in a brothel, tells the tale of a creole
lady, whose smile lit up a room
with pleasure, now the room is
is filled with a sad refrain, but as
they say, " this too will pass," through
famine, and war and hurricane, they
survived, " cry now and laugh later,"
that's what this town does best, this
city, shaped like a bowl, gave birth to
gumbo, blues, and soul, rises again
to dance a second line into dawn,
and people raise a glass, and sing
a happy refrain....
Texas Girl with a Violin
texas girl drapes herself in e e cummings
verse, like linus does with a security blanket
she devours warm tea like a poem and becomes
many filaments of light, like violin strings
she is the body electric. her mind and soul
are eclectic, i think of a full moon over the
horizon and i stare at her, daring her to
play life, and tempt paganini's soul, the notes
roll off fingers like diamonds, leaving behind
only grace, she didn't sell her soul to the devil
not with that cherubic face.....
