Mardi gras Allie from New Orleans
Flipped his tail and showed his greens
the decorator was thrilled and dressed him up
in purple waistcoat, so he could go to sup
at a genteel lady’s house, her name was Kat
He wore a flower in his lapel and a tall top hat
He is debonair and handsome too, she bragged
Her compliments for Allie never lagged
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With acorns stashed and tail held high,
he hitched a ride down south to try
the beads, the jazz, the gumbo feast~
no nut compared to Mardi Gras at least!
In sequined vest (too tight, perhaps),
he twirled past cops and tourist traps,
stole king cake crumbs with glee so feral~
oh, what scandal! Such a squirrel!
I love the month of February,
The shortest and coldest month of the season,
For an array of personal reasons.
And yet, it feels like Feb is the longest,
For the events that happen haphazardly,
Amidst treacherous winter storm blasts.
Quasi everything is frozen and solid near the nest
Of the American bald eagles,
Except the Mardi Gras masks under the rumbles.
February is the season of love,
The month of Saint Valentine,
A quintessential paradise cove,
Where lovers take refuge. Pure, Pristine,
Snowy, short, Pure, dark, and lovely; Feb's now
The celebratory month of Black history,
One wonders why and how
We get the shortest one. It's another story
That we should let the nomad seagulls
Decipher. No bathers on the sandy beaches,
Solely, a few birds are perched on the branches,
Far away from the cribs of the bald eagles.
February is a month of a kaleidoscopic contrast,
Where snowfalls happen quite often,
And hardcore lovers dream warmth under a heaven
Full of hope, love, beauty, and ice.
Copyright © January 2022, Hébert Logerie, All rights reserved.
Hébert Logerie is the author of several collections of poems.
Mardi Gras of twenty nineteen
Was the best parade I have ever seen
If anyone can top it, it will be New Orleans
Where I hope someday to become the Mardi Gras Queen
It's Mardi Gras time down in New Orleans ~ it's a carnival of memes
Where the people sing and play ~ there's music in the streets, both night and day
Everybody's having fun and drinking wine ~ because it's carnival time
"Throw me something mister" as parades go by ~ that's the Mardi Gras cry
Bourbon Street is the place to be ~ if it's boobs you want to see for free
Better part of town is where many go ~ night parades led by Flambeau*
*Flambeau is the name given to men who carry torches as they lead nighttime parades. Long held New Orleans tradition.
You rented a place on Bourbon Street?
Oh, yes, in New Orleans, of course I did.
The old man stared deeply into my eyes
Not from Mardi Gras Matti, I hope!
I burst out laughing and nodded my head.
Yes, I did, I told him. She is so colorful!
I loved her instantly! She has such charm.
She is a voodoo priestess, he yelled. Then he cringed.
I laughed at his silliness.
I instantly fell in love with Mardi Gras Mattie.
I was thrilled to rent her house.
I imagine it will be as magical as she is.
Mardi Gras has finally come to town
Bourbon Street is getting ready for the best party around
Let the party begin as the neon lights get the revellers dancing through the streets
Music from various artists with unique and powerful beats
The windows and the doors from balconies fling open with no time to spare
Brightly coloured beads fall through the night air
Police on horses try to maintain crowd control
Thousands of people enjoying their alcohol-fuelled stroll The street looks like a giant rainbow with all the colourfully dressed people abound
The trek becomes an obstacle course with trinkets strewn across the ground
I survived the night thanks to my wife who kept me in line
Truly a night to remember until the end of time
Cafe Beignet on eve of Mardi Gras
Fat Tuesday is consuming everyone
New Orleans is magnet, nothing will mar
Their patience rewarded fun has begun.
Astounding parade enjoyed far and wide
Bourbon Street echoes with laughter unfeigned
Colourful costumes flowing like rip-tide
River of creation so unrestrained.
Marvellous memories of the parade
When all were united in sense of fun
Twirling umbrellas so jauntily swayed
Spectacle endless but finally done.
Bourbon Street endured it did survive flood
Colourful Mardi Gras is its life-blood.
fat
Tuesday
pancake day-
mardi gras some
say
That season comes and go,
The parties in the streets are hot.
Balls are held in name for the Krewe,
The Crowning of the King and Queen.
Crowds are gathered down the cobbled roads.
Parades are rolling through,
Food cooking through the day,
Crawfish boiling in the pot,
Those spices wafting in the air,
Drinks pouring everywhere.
New Orleans and all of Southern Louisiana.
Dancing away to that Zydeco music.
Beads and treasures thrown overhead,
Catching them as quick as you can.
Hearing the bands and seeing the dancers dance
Colorful costumes in the night.
The masks covering their faces.
Again, the season has come and gone,
But till next year, we will party on.
i caught
what we
we're talking
about finding out
perhaps
i was pate
spread on cracker
pieces that fell into my
beard but
i heard what
i thought was an
open and shut case but
not my
place to say
hey i think i knew
this from before but not
knowing when
before was and so
turned and looked in a
mirror and saw somebody i
don't
even
So here's to Happy Tubby Tuesday,
The big New Orleans jazz & blues day,
With the drunken revelers en masse...
On second thought, let's give it a pass.
(sorry)
What is Fat Tuesday?
To disgorge your wicked ways,
be impish and play.
This Tuesday will be the fat day,
to purge all your sin on the streets.
The sun will bring the ash of Wednesday,
with foreheads displaying the Holy Trinity.
Masks of feathers and gold, beautiful and sublime
People with umbrellas dancing to the second line.
"Laissez bon temps les rouler!"
A Crowd gathers around and shouts.
Surrounded by large floats, that make leeway.
As colorful beads are tossed out.
Forty days of abstinence will be approaching soon
It's the night to drain all your vices, under the silver moon.
New Orleans
Great fanfare
Parades and festivities
Flamboyance
Glamorous exuberance
Vivid colors
Feathers and costumes
Strings of beads
Strewn everywhere
Loud blaring music
Frenzied partying
Right on through to
Shrove Tuesday
AP: Honorable Mention 2020
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