hurricane katrina poem no. 1
things that breakstick 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 [End Page 1432]
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
neighborly1.
yesterday mz. ida rang on door
sayin blockclub collectin old clothes
shoes can goods n holla
when I get my donation togetherstinky 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 hereas grandbaby tantrumed
fo daddy . . . her hot air
deflated him egobread all him had to offer
fuck sara lee
crumbs don't pay pent
3.
today we drivin donation
expediation to church [End Page 1433]
at red light stop
brother come up windexin windshieldher blast
i aint givin yo black azz nothing
back awaaaaaaaaay from the truckturn to me say
you don't know if it's piss
or what these niggas squirt
on the goddamn windowi pull
dollar outta me pocket
her yank it
swear you like bushready to give money
to any n erybody in the world
but cant take care of yo owni tell her
but
him is
hurricane katrina poem no. 8
rue n geraldrue:
been one year
since
so we hold on
a lil longersqueeze miss you
happy you alive
into our backs n chests
n thingsi un-circle her [End Page 1434]
cup her face
peck her fo/head
ask her baby girl
how's homeher say avery
what home
all Gerald & I have are the packs
strapped to our backs
when we got off the planea friend of ours salvaged
all my negatives
so at least I have the worki say goodness a diamond rainbow
gerald:
3 weeks after channel 2
5 7 n fox say
plenty folk still uncounted fo
my phone ringtwas gerald speakin present
n crisp gigglin eventold me to tell fam
her n rue in land of livinthey not in nawlins
true to the type of folk they be
they over in japan somewhere
with mountain peopleeatin berries n green clovers
learnin mountain people
things like horseshoes
n michael jackson songssay to me world a trip
i got nothin
but a rue who breathes mei say aint god the biggest easter basket
Avery R. Young is a poet, performance artist, choreographer, and teaching artist who has appeared at the The Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago), House of Blues and on BET, WGN Morning New, and MTV. He is author of lookin fo/words that ryme, and is currently working on an alburm of original music. He lives in Chicago.