New Orleans Still Life                 photo by Elizabeth Gordon

NEW ORLEANS

SOME SAY SHE IS A LAZY LADY
LAID BACK AND EASY
THAT SHE SAUNTERS DOWN THE QUATER
SWISHING THIS WAY AND THAT,
HER BEADS DANGLE UPON FLITTERING GAS LIGHTS,
ONE COULD MELT IN THE SOFT HUMID NIGHTS, 
PERFUME OF CONFEDERATE JASIME LINGERS UPON
A WIFT OF A MISSISSIPPI RIVER BREEZE,
SHE IS A MYSTERIOUS SULTRY SOUTHERN BELLE WHOSE
SPIRIT IS AS WILD AS THE HURRICANES THAT SWEEP ACROSS THE BAYOUS BENDING BACK THE SUGAN CANE, AND STORMING IN LIKE A RAGING LION, 
SOME SAY SHE IS A LAZY LADY, LAID BACK AN EASY,
BUT SHE IS NEW ORLEANS AT HER BEST, ALL FAT AND SASSY.  BY ELIZABETH GORDON