A.G.E's Joint

  A quiet side street, a break from the cacophony. Three blocks of bookstores and boutiques invisible to the tourists.  A cruise ship was docked at the port on the left just past the casino. He had an urge to jump aboard and ride it to wherever it went: Haiti, Curaçao, Cayman. It didn't matter. He needed out of this swamp called New Orleans. As he got closer to Canal, he heard the ringing of the Red Line Car coming down the riverfront. He thought about taking it up to Marigny, but the meeting was at Caesar's. His presence was required. As he crossed over the wide Boulevard, a tune seemed to rise up from the street. It sounded like a Second Line dirge, but he wasn't sure. The unclaimed melody drifted like wood in the river. The source was a man in a coat of many colors, a one-man band rig strapped over his shoulders; his money case sat in front with a few bills showing. Normally, he would stop, but there was no time.  A man with a North Carolina Tarheel hoodie stepped out ...

  Crescent noon man In the Crescent City Lying forlorn on a Couch Buck Moon band Sound drifting across Esplinade While daiquiris are recycled Making more Crescent Moon Men AI Test New Orleans is Purgatory

  Calm river Clouds cast a melancholy glow Over the abandoned brewery. Vesper call The riff-raff clog the street Chasing the last streetcar Into Marigny How does the rain get made? Cheating hearts And saucy tarts Send the wetness To the sky

 Alabaster Cathedral Lords over broken concrete Ornamental iron Lined with art Steam Calliope Competes with a brass band And a jackhammer For the ears of passerby This is  La Vieux Carré

The first hike was on the second day.  So, sue me. I tried There is only do or do not, sadly The first day I was staring at Bourbon Street. My Soul slipping on ice Same blocks I've walked down  And will again. It won't be the same, I know.  They held a prayer and a Second Line In remembrance A stitch on the soul To stop the seepage Of love For our fellow man.

Return address 62 Blvd de St Germain A two-word message. "Venez vite." What does she need this time? Waiter brings Bordeaux. Chateaux he had never heard of. Satisfying pop Sweet cork Car horn out on Royal Why Paris or Rome?  New Orleans had better people. Shrugging shoulders, he turned the page over. A shorter message "Crepa" -Venez vite-"Come at once" en Français Crepa-"Drop dead" en Italiano

I want a tiny house On tiny wheels With dollhouse furniture To escape the world I want to pack up an old, beat up suitcase Take a bus and look out over the Mississippi Then look down and see the suitcase missing Eat Red Beans and Rice With Beignets and Coffee for desert Listening to old buskers Sing from their soul To be lost in the maze until the swamp runs out Where the hurricanes thrash hardy inhabitants Flipping middle fingers in response. The edge of America. Is where I want to be. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Topic (lost in the maze)- Rutger Siskens Pic- Dahlia Ramone Pic guesses: Dollhouse (in blog), Tiny house (in blog), suitcase (in blog), On the go, well traveled, tiny town, small flat. The full quote is from the movie Tightrope (1984) (courtesy IMDB.com): Wes Block : Twenty-eight years ago I borrowed 40 dollars from my father, packed up an old, beat up suitcase, took a bus and came here. I w...

Dark night in Treme Joe came into the bar Black sheep of his family He'd float down this far. Voodoo Priestess saw him Shaggy dog mane came down Slid down the stool to greet him And give him the night on the town Joe did not know what to do With this tall dark rail. With eyes widening He looked for a way to bail She wasn't having none of that There was something she needed With long lost words, whispered slowly The recalcitrant spirit heeded. Shooting through the dank Esplanade Down to Jackson Square As they hurried forth Passerby gaped at the mismatched pair. Soon, a house they came to Another incantation said They embraced violently  And another spell read When it was done, the Priestess laughed At the sight she had wrought Sagittarius in the flesh And Joe hopelessly caught.