"Return to Bourbon" (The Gritty Underbelly of New Orleans)
I left my soul in a crawfish boil
And my transgressions in a taxicab, Where the driver was blind in one eye
And the meter was stabbed.
The gutter gurgles like a gospel hymn
Also, the rain comes down hard, like a drum, But Lord, I’d give up my rent-stained mattress
Just to feel that voodoo hum.
The Quarter ain’t what she used to be,
I, on the other hand, am not— I got a scar where my halo was
And a suitcase full of lies.
Mama called it the Devil’s playground,
I called it home with a grin—
'Cause even the rats tap dance down Chartres
When the bottle lets the jazz back in.
The hotel's wallpaper contained apparitions, And prayers scratched in the stalls.
They don’t ask where you came from,
how far down you fall. I sleep next to regret and rust now,
In a city too clean to trust—
However, I'd give up this silence for a good howl. in a shotgun residence with damaged ductwork. Yeah, I miss the roaches in the beignets,
The smell of blood and rain—
You are not forgiven by the city, But she’ll always know your name.
Public transpo buses are a poor man's taxicab,
but you can't hail a ride when you need one
You must sit and wait on a wooden street slab
Buses are municipal elephants
that move on asphalt trails
If one arrives on schedule, then all is well
Drop the money into the pay slot,
and get taken to that menial job you got
But marginal income don't motivate you a lot
Yet, be glad you're one of the fortunate few
that has a cool bus driver who loves to skirt the rules
He will tell you to call him Zeke
Not mister, not sir
Just Zeke
Thirty years, he says he's been
on the urban safari beat
Says he's seen it all
on the jungle concrete streets
Zeke loves to laugh a lot,
he loves to give out friendly hellos
And Zeke really loves helping
the disabled and old widows
Next time you're in his city,
take a chance and ride poor
If you meet Zeke, you'll be richer for sure
Late hours
Rainy winds wet;
Igloo feeling
~~~~~~~~~
Dance deep strokes
Chinese pugilist;
Savvy moves
~~~~~~~~~
Darkness falls deep
Applause of insects;
Stars twinkle
~~~~~~~~~
Karaoke bars
Pretty sexy faces;
Booze entice
~~~~~~~~~
Midnight club fest
Tipsy following;
Taxicab queue
~~~~~~~~~
Eatery junction
Motley congregation;
Hot humid haste
~~~~~~~~~
Vivid faces lounge
Fondling cellphones;
Solitary together
~~~~~~~~~
Leon Enriquez
17 June 2016
Singapore
Taxicab driver
Midnight rates apply;
Moonlight serenade
Tipsy bar crashers
Stepping out;
Cigarette break
Alcohol buffet
Free flow of beer;
Sorrows guzzled
Chit-chat combat
Happy hour banter;
Bartering progress
Too much stress
Nobody seems to know;
Things will be better
Complaints collide
Bar time gripes;
Bad bossy boss
Pain in the neck
Grumpy buffalo;
Home on the range
End of day
Work retreats;
Until tomorrow cheers
Profound exchange
Gin and tonic;
Alcoholic beverage
More and more
Of less and less;
Vodka and coke
Watering hole
Midnight Saturday;
Party till the last drop
Drop dead gorgeous
After six smoothies;
Tipsy compliance
Leon Enriquez
08 June 2014
Singapore
I had a crazy mother
Unlike any other
Unto the hospital she would go
Singing hellish feverish foe.
Drugs electric depression must go
Such feelings they frighten, they cannot show.
Remember you often a mother you are
And sanity must never run away so far.
Standard statistic norms yea shall follow
No matter not, thy soul gone empty and hollow.
Motherhood no promise of gratitude
Housework ,taxicab driver, cooking of food
Expectation, along side loveless humiliation
Brain gone amuck senseless configuration.
Mother so crazy, so unlike any other
Ranting panting screaming streaming
I am just another mother.
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