from "The Hurricane Katrina Suite"

from "The Hurricane Katrina Suite"

hurricane katrina poem no. 1
things that break

stick like levy.
stick. men like levy.
stick. men. lunch like levy.
stick. men. lunch. wind like levy.
stick men lunch wind
like levy lunched
          nawleans.
promise . . . heart . . . day . . . all break
like levy. spring n bough too. baby
fall n erything . . .
nothin like levy.
nothin standin like levy.
nothin standin.
erything like levy . . .
          washed down.
news broke sky broke.
word broke folk broke.
a truth: cant fix broke.
broke just gotta stay broke
til somebody build somethin
new / like levy wudda been
          but war mo immediate than mardi gras.
people place.
people place things.
people place things n ideas
in a way-back corner of they rationale
when they life break/in like levy.

black. white. green. polka-dot
dont matter. just save life
from breakin like levy.

hurricane katrina poem no. 5
neighborly

1.

yesterday mz. ida rang on door
sayin blockclub collectin old clothes
shoes can goods n holla
when I get my donation together

stinky azz nigga solicitin
change of whateva sort
her tell him    damn shame
folk out her really need shit
n all you wanna do is quarterbeg people
n be high

2.

   not too long befo Katrina blew nawleans
dry    her screamin to down on luck daughter
that sonnuvabitch steal too much
to stay here

as grandbaby tantrumed
fo daddy . . . her hot air
deflated him ego

     bread all him had to offer

                 fuck sara lee
crumbs don't pay pent

3.

today we drivin donation
expediation to church
at red light stop
brother come up windexin windshield

her blast
i aint givin yo black azz nothing
back awaaaaaaaaay from the truck

turn to me say
you don't know if it's piss
or what these niggas squirt
on the goddamn window

i pull
dollar outta me pocket
her yank it
swear    you like bush

ready to give money
to any n erybody in the world
but cant take care of yo own

i tell her
but
him is

hurricane katrina poem no. 8
rue n gerald

rue:

    been one year
    since
    so we hold on
        a lil longer

    squeeze miss you
    happy you alive
    into our backs n chests
    n things

    i un-circle her
    cup her face
    peck her fo/head
    ask her baby girl
    how's home

    her say avery
    what home
    all Gerald & I have are the packs
    strapped to our backs
    when we got off the plane

    a friend of ours salvaged
    all my negatives
    so at least I have the work

    i say    goodness a diamond rainbow

gerald:

    3 weeks after channel 2
    5     7    n fox say
    plenty folk still uncounted fo
    my phone ring

    twas gerald speakin present
    n crisp     gigglin even

    told me to tell fam
    her n rue in land of livin

    they not in nawlins

    true to the type of folk they be
    they over in japan somewhere
    with mountain people

    eatin berries n green clovers
    learnin mountain people
    things like horseshoes
    n michael jackson songs

    say to me    world a trip
    i got nothin
    but a rue who breathes me

    i say     aint god the biggest easter basket